LG Electronics And PTO Today Applaud Youth Leaders For Energy-Saving Efforts

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/-- LG Electronics USA and PTO Today – an organization serving parent-teacher groups from schools across the country – announced the 20 winners of the spring 2013 "Team ENERGY STAR" challenge.  The organizations teamed up this year to recognize those youth who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to save energy and protect the climate.

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Team ENERGY STAR, a multi-year initiative from EPA's ENERGY STAR program, teaches kids how to save energy and help protect the climate with fun educational activities and energy-saving actions they can do at home with their families. This year, the campaign incorporates characters from 20th Century Fox's new movie, EPIC – released in theaters May 24 – to help inspire young people and teach them about energy and the environment in an interactive and engaging way.

The spring 2013 challenge invited the youth community to join Team ENERGY STAR and take the "EPIC pledge" to save energy at home. After taking the pledge, kids were encouraged to share their energy-saving stories for a chance to win cool prizes from LG Electronics and Fox. More than 7,600 young people have joined this year's campaign, which launched during Earth Week, and more than 12,000 have joined since the campaign's inception in 2012. 

"LG is committed to enhancing the quality of life for its consumers and creating a healthier and cleaner environment for current and future generations," said James Fishler, senior vice president of marketing for LG Electronics USA.  "Through the Team ENERGY STAR campaign, we're honored to recognize and reward children who are helping save the planet by making small changes in their everyday actions and setting an example for their peers."

"We're so excited to see young people engaged in saving energy at home with their families," said Jill Vohr, director of marketing for the EPA's ENERGY STAR Labeling Branch. "The stories we received demonstrate not only an understanding of the importance of saving energy – particularly for the environment – but also that educating kids about protecting our climate is a good investment in the future health of our planet."

"PTO Today is proud to partner with Team ENERGY STAR in an effort to bring families together to learn what we can all do to help to make our planet a better place to live," says PTO Today founder Tim Sullivan. "We're excited to join with Team ENERGY STAR and LG in recognizing those kids across America who have made a concerted effort in their own school communities to bring attention to this important issue."

The Spring Team ENERGY STAR challenge ran from Earth Week through May 31, with more than 1,000 youth sharing their energy-saving stories. Entries were judged by EPA ENERGY STAR officials based on their energy-saving ideas, as well as creativity and ingenuity.

Winners of the Team ENERGY STAR challenge are being awarded a total of 25 prizes from LG Electronics, ranging from LG ENERGY STAR certified LED/LCD flat-screen HDTVs and LG ENERGY STAR certified LED Monitors to LG Android smartphones and feature phones, to LG wireless speaker docks.  

The following top winners each will be able to select two LG prizes of their choice from the prizes mentioned above. They are also being featured on LG's electronic billboard in New York's Times Square.

• Teagan TR., Chevy Chase, Md.
• Kamren M., Moreland Hills, Ohio
• Deklan B., Dublin, Ohio
• Imelia G., Oak Ridge, Tenn.
• Isaac S., Wichita, Kan.

A second 2013 Team ENERGY STAR challenge featuring EPIC is planned for the fall when kids will have a chance to win another 25 prizes from LG Electronics USA.

Team ENERGY STAR is part of the multi-year, EPA campaign, "Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR," developed to engage Americans of all ages in saving energy, money and protecting the environment with ENERGY STAR. If every American household took part in the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Pledge, the nation would save more than 130 billion kilowatt-hours per year of electricity, save $23 billion in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 21 million cars.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helping us save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. Now in its 20^th year, ENERGY STAR has more than 18,000 partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses, and the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 65 product categories. In 2012 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 50 million cars — all while saving $24 billion on their utility bills.

About PTO Today

Since 1999, PTO Today has been connecting with and serving PTO and PTA leaders and school families at schools across the country through a broad variety of print, online and in-person resources all aimed at fostering greater parent involvement in schools.  A division of School Family Media, Inc., PTO Today's services include PTO Today magazine, more than a dozen "PTO Expo" conferences around the country, and the School Family Nights® series of parent involvement events.  Learn more at www.schoolfamilymedia.com and www.ptotoday.com.  For more information about Go Green Night, please visit www.schoolfamilynights.com  .

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $45 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. LG Electronics, a proud 2013 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions in the United States, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com .

SOURCE LG Electronics USA, Inc.