Share Your Story Our Energy, Our Future: A Dialogue with America By: Addie Armato The “Our Energy, Our Future”™ grassroots awareness campaign has been going strong for one year, and in that time hundreds of thousands of electric cooperative consumers have sent more than 1.5 million messages in to their elected officials. These messages have brought the consumer voice to Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to develop and support sound, thoughtful policy that will secure an affordable energy future for our nation. With a new year comes a new administration to Washington, D.C., and a Congress flush with new members. These new faces must also be made aware of the challenges consumers could face if they pursue the wrong energy policy. As a result, we must continue to press our elected officials on three questions central to ”Our Energy, Our Future”: What is your plan to make sure we have the electricity we’ll need in the future? What are you doing to speed the development of new technology that will allow me to have the electric power I need while meeting national climate policy goals? How much is all this going to increase my electric bill and what will you do to make it affordable? In 2009, the campaign will offer you the opportunity to share personal stories and struggles related to paying your electric bills, helping drive home the importance of affordability in any legislative proposal. In addition, we’re adding a fourth question, asking you to contact your congressional representatives and ask that they work with local electric cooperatives to understand and solve our nation’s energy challenges. To learn more about how you can record and send a personal message to Congress, please visit www.ourenergy.coop. After one year, this campaign is off to a strong start in a time of energy uncertainty—your voice is needed now more than ever. Source: Straight Talk Alert, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Presentations are available for organizations, church groups and groups of individuals who would like more information about “Our Energy, Our Future.” Presentations last approximately 30 minutes. If you would like more information on energy efficiency ideas, Pointe Coupee Electric can help you by providing brochures and other literature. We also offer residential energy efficiency seminars for groups of eight or more. If you would like more information about the seminars, please call the Member Services Department at 225-638-3751.