WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced that DOE and The Walt Disney Company are cooperating in a nationwide campaign to promote energy efficiency through a TV spot based on the upcoming film Disney*Pixar film “Ratatouille.”

“Combining the energy expertise of the Department of Energy with the promotional ingenuity of Disney is a unique way to raise energy awareness,” Secretary Bodman said.  “I hope this will be the first project in a continuing effort to leverage the resources of the entertainment industry and government to encourage smart energy choices.”

Featuring the Ratatouille characters Remy, Emile and Skinner, the 30-second animated spot encourages viewers to switch from incandescent light bulbs to ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) and points them to the energy.gov website for more tips on saving energy or using renewable energy technologies in the home.

Beginning June 15, the spot will air on cable networks nationwide, with a particular emphasis in northern portions of Virginia as well as in northern and southern California, and will continue through the summer. While the spot points out that energy can be used in a variety of ways, it emphasizes that it can be used more efficiently by employing technologies such as CFLs.

DOE leads federal efforts to research, develop and deploy alternative and renewable technologies that will help consumers save energy and money, furthering President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative, which seeks to change the way we power our homes, offices and transportation sector.

To view the spot, and for tips on saving energy visit the Department of Energy's homepage.

Media contact(s):
Julie Ruggiero, (202) 586-4940