Media Availability - U.S. Gulf Expert Visits Toronto

Message to Ontario government: Move away from oil

TORONTO, June 17 /CNW/ - An expert from the U.S. Gulf is visiting Toronto for a special event sponsored by Environmental Defence, Bridging the Gulf: From Oil Spills to Clean Energy, on Monday, June 21, 2010 and will be available in advance for interviews.

Jerome Ringo, a longtime U.S. Gulf advocate and former oil worker, has a message for the Ontario government: use the oil spill tragedy in the Gulf to get off oil by creating the necessary infrastructure to support electric cars and trucks. Ontario consumes nearly 200 million barrels of oil each year used primarily for transportation, sending up to $20 billion out of province to buy it. A recent poll found that 62% of Ontarians surveyed support spending by the Ontario government to transition from oil to electric vehicles, with funding from new fees and taxes on oil and gas pollution.

Mr. Ringo is directly involved in the response to the Gulf oil spill, and is also a former Board member of the National Wildlife Federation, and past President of the Apollo Alliance, a group dedicated to the next 'moon shot' - the transition to clean energy.

Mr. Ringo will be available for interviews in person on Sunday, June 20, 2010 and Monday, June 21, 2010. He can talk about current attempts to stop the oil spill, the oil spill's effects on the environment and people's livelihoods, and alternative options to deep off-shore drilling.

Bridging the Gulf: From Oil Spills to Clean Energy, featuring Jerome Ringo, takes place on Monday, June 21, 2010 at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West (at Dufferin), starting at 7pm, and will also feature the band Loco Zydeco. The event is free.

About Environmental Defence (www.environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence protects the environment and human health. We research solutions. We educate. We go to court when we have to. All in order to ensure clean air, clean water and thriving ecosystems nationwide, and to bring a halt to Canada's contribution to climate change.

For further information: To arrange an interview with Jerome Ringo, please contact: Jennifer Foulds, Environmental Defence, [phone] ext. 232, [phone] (cell)