Viridian Energy Sets Out to Demonstrate the "Ripple Effect" in Indonesia

STAMFORD, Conn., July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A small ambitious group from Viridian Energy sets off for Indonesia this week to demonstrate the difference between a splash and a ripple. They're headed to the Gedepahala area of Java, two hours from Jakarta, to plant trees, improve the water supply and set up a solar electrification system that will power an education center in one of Indonesia's most visited national parks.

"Simply dropping technology on a big-ticket development project would make a splash," said Michael Fallquist, founder and CEO of Viridian. "But by introducing the community to reliable and renewable energy technology, we're creating ripples that will touch many more people as they see firsthand that the promise of clean energy is real and practical."

Viridian intends to create lots of ripples in Indonesia on July 29 when 34 Viridian Associates and corporate staff, working in partnership with Conservation International and Goal Zero, arrive at the Gede-Pangrango National Park to bring power to the Conservation Education Center, Gibbon Rehabilitation Facility and the nearby Genteng village.

More than 50,000 visitors each year pass through the Education Center to learn about the importance of conservation. With quiet and clean solar power powering the center, visitors will experience a sustainable alternative to the diesel generators currently in place.

The Viridian team will also be planting native tree species on two hectares of land in a region that protects the freshwater supply for 30 million people on Java. They will also replace two kilometers of pipe to restore a water system that is the sole source of clean water for the village of Bodogol.

"We want our work to continue to generate benefits for people here and beyond long after we're gone," said Cami Boehme, Senior Vice President, Viridian Marketing and Brand Strategy. "That's why we're working with our like-minded partners, Conservation International and Goal Zero, to make sure our efforts are specific, targeted and part of a holistic approach to development that lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable benefits."

The Indonesia project is part of Viridian's annual global sustainability initiative, '7 Continents in 7 Years.' Asia will be the third of seven continents Viridian has visited.

Viridian's '7 Continents' program was launched in 2011 to undertake a major sustainability project on seven continents over a period of seven years, and serves as the global component of the company's sustainability initiative, 'Local Change, Global Impact.'

In March 2011, a Viridian team traveled to the Brazilian Amazon rainforest to replant trees in deforested areas. In February 2012, another team traveled to Ghana to install renewable power in the rural village of Asunafu.

"We intend to create ripples wherever we go," Fallquist said. "That "ripple effect" will eventually combine to become a wave . . . a driving force in creating change in the world."

To learn more about Viridian Energy and its sustainability initiatives, including '7 Continents in 7 Years,' please visit www.liveviridian.com.

About Viridian Energy
Viridian Energy is a socially responsible retail energy supplier that provides greener electricity and clean-burning natural gas at affordable prices. The company services commercial and residential electricity and natural gas customers in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Virginia with electricity derived from renewable sources and natural gas. Viridian is a member of the Crius Energy family of best-in-class energy brands.

About Crius Energy
Crius Energy is one of the largest independent energy retailers operating in the United States, with approximately 580,000 residential customer equivalents. Crius serves residential and small to medium-size commercial customers in the United States and markets its products through a variety of sales channels and brand names. The Company currently sells electricity in 13 states and the District of Columbia and natural gas in eight states.

SOURCE Crius Energy