Air Date: Week of August 2, 2002

Living on Earth’s Jennifer Chu reports on a Long Island power campaign using pizza.

Transcript

CURWOOD: Coming up, the windshield as petri dish. Bug splat science is next, right after this Environmental Business Note from Jennifer Chu.

[MUSIC UP AND UNDER]

CHU: This summer, as Long Islanders kick back with their favorite New York-style pizza pies, they may get a message along with a mouthful: at least that’s what the Long Island Power Authority hopes will happen. In a new ad campaign called the Power of Pizza, the electric utility provider is asking consumers to reduce their summer energy consumption over dinner.

The message, "Take a bite out of your energy use this summer," will be printed on a quarter of a million pizza boxes to be delivered throughout Long Island this summer. The generic cartoon chef has been replaced with a picture of Uncle Sam sporting a utility hardhat.

As added incentive for pizza parlor owners, the LIPA is distributing the boxes at ten cents a box, a savings from the regular boxes. Piccolo Pizza in Bellmore is one of the mom and pop restaurants that decided to participate in the Power of Pizza campaign. Tom Valenti is the shop’s owner.

VALENTI: Sitting around the dinner table, the family will have a greater likelihood of talking about what’s on top of the pizza box. It’s a win-win for everybody involved. So sure, I’ll put them on all the pizza boxes.

CHU: So far, 100 pizzerias have ordered the Power of Pizza boxes. At an average of four people per pie, the LIPA hopes to reach nearly one million pizza eaters and energy consumers by Labor Day.

VALENTI: I hope they’re taking a big slice out of energy use this summer.

CHU: That’s this week’s Business Note. I’m Jennifer Chu.

[MUSIC UNDER]

CURWOOD: And you’re listening to Living on Earth.

[MUSIC: NEIL FINN, "RED ROOM," RAIN, SOUNDTRACK, EMI, 2001]

 

Links

Power of Pizza press release