Providence, RI (February 19, 2003): Former U.S. Congresswoman Claudine Schneider is back in Rhode Island to campaign. Schneider will be in Providence, Rhode Island, February 23rd joining the Rhode Island Green Power Campaign - a new initiative underway to make clean, renewable energy a part of Rhode Island's energy future.

Most Rhode Island residents are not aware that the electricity used to power homes and businesses is the leading cause of industrial air pollution and results in smog, acid rain, carbon dioxide emissions, mercury pollution as well as respiratory illnesses such as asthma and lung cancer. Each RI household's electricity use produces over 4 tons of CO2 per year, which is a leading cause of Global Climate Change. Former Congresswoman Schneider will be urging residents, businesses and civic leaders to pledge their support and take action to reduce these impacts by supporting 'green power' or electricity produced from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, small and low-impact hydro, and biomass energy.

Ms. Schneider will be a Guest Speaker at the Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show, February 23rd to speak about The Rhode Island Green Power Campaign and her work to create a more sustainable energy future for Rhode Islanders. The campaign highlights three simple options to support green power now available to all Rhode Island consumers, for as little as $6.00 a month. Interested residents and consumers can easily learn about options to purchase green power through a toll free number and website: 1-888-63-GREEN, www.green-e.org/RI. The campaign is coordinated by the San Francisco-based non-profit Center for Resource Solutions with a grant from the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund (RIREF). The RIREF program provides qualifying retail suppliers incentives that support up to 20,000 or about 4% of RI's electric customers to sign up for green power products, which if fully utilized, would represent the highest green power penetration in the country.

Claudine Schneider will appear at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Sunday, February 23rd at 12:00pm on the 5th floor.

More About Center for Resource Solutions
Green-e is a program of the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), a national nonprofit organization that encourages sustainable growth and promotes the use of clean energy. To learn more about CRS, visit its website www.resource-solutions.org.

More About Green-e
Green-e is the nation's first voluntary certification and verification program for renewable electricity products. Since 1997, Green-e has been a nationally recognized, voluntary certification program to help consumers identify superior renewable energy products sold in competitive retail electricity markets, regulated markets, and nationwide through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Certified products may display the Green-e logo, which helps customers easily identify environmentally preferable, renewable-based energy products. www.green-e.org.