Stories & Features

Recent winners talk about why they're part of the team

Mahmood Rashid's path to Team Power Smart began in his native Kenya, where as a kid he joined an ecological club in his school and discovered the plight of elephants hunted by poachers for their tusks, rhinos for their horns.

Amy Dirksen, on the other hand, got there by riding her curiosity about BC Hydro incentives, and her quest to strike a balance between saving energy and ensuring her home isn't too cold for comfort.

Both were surprised in 2022 to win Team Power Smart contest prizes – exclusive monthly contests for members – and jumped at the chance to share their stories. They're part of a team that has taken advantage of a variety of member perks over the past year, including:

• Science World Members Day, May 2022
• Virtual events such as Myth Busting, Trivia, and a PNE prize home virtual tour
• Free products including a reusable produce bag and foam gaskets to seal leaks in electrical outlets
• Summer Unplugged Photo Contest (Smart watch grand prize, smart speaker runner-up prizes)
• Monthly contests for prizes ranging from gift cards for Best Buy, The Home Depot, London Drugs and Canadian Tire, to smart thermostats and combination toaster oven/air fryers and Science World annual passes

"I joined Team Power Smart to find ways to make a difference to the environment," says Rashid, who won a Nellie's Laundry Pack as a contest prize last April. "One of the key things for me is to be able to leave the world in at least the same state that I found it in, if not better. When I look at all the greed in the world and see a drastic decline in our ecosystems, I don't like the legacy we're leaving behind for our kids or grandkids."

An eco-first attitude has driven Rashid to adopt energy-efficient behaviours. But a squirrel invasion has forced him to also look into upgrading his attic insulation.

"I had squirrels in my attic last year, and they basically went through all the insulation, so it's basically useless," says Rashid. "I need to take it all out and replenish it with new insulation, but I can't find a contractor right now to help me with that."

An insulation upgrade – with assistance from our insulation rebates – could improve Rashid's chances of delivering on his current 10% Reduction Challenge – and a shot at a $50 reward – through Team Power Smart.

Meanwhile, he says he's doing what he can do chase that 10% target over a 12-month period in his 2,900 square foot Richmond home. And he's very much enjoying the Nellie's Laundry Pack he won in the Team Power Smart contest. He's been a big fan of Nellie's detergent and dryer balls for years, and there's a personal bonus to using the products beyond supporting a B.C. company built on the idea of offering eco-friendly laundry products.

"Winning the contest basically replenished our supply of Nellie's for the next year," he says. "And the soap is good for people like me with sensitive skin. A lot of other detergents get into clothes so that I break out in a rash when I wear them."

Langley's Dirksen targets 10% reduction... and fried pickles

Dirksen said she had to double-check when she got an email from Team Power Smart telling her she'd won one of four Cuisinart combination air fryer and toaster ovens up for grabs in July's monthly contest.

"I was very surprised to win because you know, you enter these things and don't really expect to win." says Dirksen, who lives in Abbotsford. "I was just really really excited. It's such a gift – really great."

Dirksen said she was already a big fan of toaster ovens, but this one is a huge upgrade over the one she was using. She hasn't tried the air fryer yet, but she has her eye on prepping one of the recipes from the Cuisinart air fryer recipe book.

"Maybe some people might think this is disgusting, but I want to try fried pickles," she says, with a laugh. "My husband loves them."

Like Rashid, Dirksen is also in a current 10% Reduction Challenge. So far, she's behind her target, in part because she used air conditioning a little too much last summer. That's somewhat uncharacteristic of Dirksen, who's learning to temper her habit of taking her energy-saving behaviours a step too far.

"I used to be really crazy about keeping the heat down in winter, and I would freeze my poor roommates," she says. "So I've learned to be kinder to people."

A bit of a newbie to Team Power Smart, having joined last year, Dirksen says she's taking small steps towards energy efficiency by upgrading her lighting.

Here's the full list of contest prizes for 2022

Chances of winning a Team Power Smart contest are better than you may think – your chances in 2022 were as good as one-in-350. They're exclusive to members, and only for those who take the time to enter the contest.

Did you know? We run a member contest each month, except when we have a big contest for all our customers.

• January – New Year's Resolution contest. Prize $150 London Drugs Gift card
• February – Instant Pot, plus smart lighting packages for two runners-up
• March – $250 Home Depot gift card, plus a one-year family membership to Science World. Four secondary prizes of one-year family memberships to Science World
• April – Three winners got a year's supply of Nellie's laundry products
• May – Smart thermostat (Choice of Nest, or two Mysa thermostats)
• June – Five winners, $100 Home Depot gift cards
• July – Four winners, Cuisinart toaster oven air fryer combos
• August – Summer Unplugged photo contest. Grand prize of an Apple Watch, plus two runner up prizes of a smart speaker.
• September – Two winners got $200 Best Buy gift cards
• October – Non-exclusive customer contest: six weekly prizes
• November – Four winners of $200 Canadian Tire gift cards
• December – Non-exclusive Holiday Countdown Contest