Minister for Environment and Climate Change Gavin Jennings announced Connex’s switch to GreenPower at Flinders Street Station today.

“Victoria leads way in GreenPower with 300,000 of the over 770,000 GreenPower customers in Australia coming from Victoria,” Mr Jennings said.

Connex’s switch to GreenPower will be accompanied by a month-long advertising campaign at Flinders Street Station to raise awareness of GreenPower. The station’s new Customer Information Centre at the station is an accredited six-star construction and will be 100 per cent GreenPowered.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said: “More than 100,000 commuters use Flinders Street Station every day, so the campaign is an effective way of getting the GreenPower message to them, on top of the environmental benefits of using public transport.”

GreenPower accreditation means customers know their electricity comes from non-polluting renewable generation such as wind, solar, hydro and waste to energy projects.  It is one of the easiest ways businesses and households can reduce their greenhouse emissions.

“I encourage Victorians to follow Connex’s lead and switch to GreenPower,” Mr Jennings said.

Up to 80 per cent of a Victorian household’s carbon emissions come from electricity consumption¬¬. Switching to 100 per cent GreenPower offers Victorians a simple way to cut their greenhouse emissions. Most retailers offer accredited GreenPower products.

Ms Kosky welcomed the initiative to buy GreenPower for Flinders Street station and their corporate offices in Spring Street.

“Connex has seen the importance of renewable energy and now it is making more Victorians aware of the benefits of renewable energy,” Ms Kosky said.

“Many of the environmental initiatives by Connex, such as recycling programs and cigarette butt litter campaigns, come from issues raised through its We Hear You customer feedback program.”

In addition to its direct support for renewable energy such as the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy, the Victorian Renewable Energy Target and Renewable Energy Support Fund, the Government buys more than 10 per cent GreenPower for its operations and this will increase to 25 percent by 2010.  For more information visit www.greenpower.gov.au