The Ashdons' Bright Ideas - written by: Ashley

Ashley's imaginary family, the Ashdons, helped the Grade 3 Oneida Elementary School student win a prize for the best storybook and a special demonstration for her classmates. Ashley's storybook was one of several excellent entries submitted as part of an energy-saving contest advertised in the Hamilton Spectator.

Ashley's Bright Ideas story book was all about a family called the Ashdons who lived in a little town called Sparkyville. The Ashdons loved to waste power. Maybe because their town had so much. Then more families started to move into Sparkyville and began using more power. Sparkyville residents began to worry about there being enough hydro and started using less. But not the Ashdons. They kept using more and more hydro.

What happens? Well, you'll just have to read Ashley's book to find out!

Brent Murray, Horizon Utilities conservation specialist, presented Ashley with her prize - an energy monitor for her family that will tell them how much power each of their appliances use at home.

Brent also presented his famous Easy-Bake™ demonstration which cooks cake using the waste heat from a regular light bulb. I'll bet you can't guess what happens when you try to cook a cake in an oven using an energy-saving compact fluorescent bulb. Click here to find out.

Special thanks to Ashley and her classmates for the nice letters, some of which are below (mouseover each name to view the letter):