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October 23, 2009

Power the Games hits Facebook

Posted by Sabrina Locicero

The latest development in BC Hydro's presence on Facebook, the ever-popular social networking tool, is introducing a little friendly Olympic competition to the conservation efforts of British Columbians.

This Power Smart Month, BC Hydro has kick-started a Facebook application called Power the Games that invites British Columbians to save like a champion.

Power the Games asks B.C. residents to commit to reducing their energy use by 10% over the next year, and lets you pledge your savings to your favourite 2010 Winter Games sport – ice hockey, freestyle skiing, curling, and more. BC Hydro Power Smart's goal is to have 210,000 British Columbians signed up for Team Power Smart by the time the Games begin.

After selecting a sport, you can check back each day to take a daily conservation challenge. Each challenge is worth points that can take you up through the medal standings, from Participant to Gold.

"More than one third of Canadians use Facebook," says Deborah LeRose, Digital Communications, who helped develop BC Hydro's first Facebook application in 2007 called Green Gifts. "So we know a lot of our customers are there. The development of our Facebook application allows BC Hydro to meet customers where they are to help achieve our conservation objectives."

To get started, if you click the option to join Team Power Smart, you're automatically awarded points that get you ahead in the game.

BC Hydro Fan Page

Also launched this month is a new BC Hydro Facebook Page. The Facebook Page connects you to great content about energy saving tips, contests and updates about BC Hydro's conservation work – not to mention hilarious videos by Kids in the Hall member Kevin MacDonald and the latest efforts of Team Power Smart leaders such as Steve Nash.

To find and fan this page, type "BC Hydro" into Facebook's search box. It's as easy as one click to become a fan of the Page, and it lets "friends" know you're part of the team helping to conserve power and secure B.C.'s energy future.

Support Paralympic athlete and BC Hydro employee Woolstencroft

You've probably heard of Lauren Woolstencroft – she's a BC Hydro engineer and alpine skier. And not just any skier. At 21, she won two gold medals and a bronze at the Salt Lake City 2002 Paralympic Winter Games, then won gold and silver at Torino four years later.

Right now, she's on a leave of absence from her BC Hydro job, deep in training for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games March 12 to 21. We want to use Power the Games as a way to cheer her on, and we're asking you to help by following these two simple steps:

Add Power the Games to your Facebook profile and when asked to select an event, pick Lauren's. That's Paralympic Alpine Skiing.

BC Hydro is aiming to power up the Paralympic Alpine Skiing event faster than any of the other events, and show our support for Lauren.

Sabrina Locicero is a writer-editor with BC Hydro's employee communications department.