GAHANNA, Ohio, June 10, 2015 — Over the past year, AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP), has worked with artists in Nelsonville, Canton, Zanesville, Findlay and Columbus to turn five inefficient and vintage appliances into recycled, outdoor art installations for display at the 2015 Columbus Arts Festival June 12-14 (Booth 511c).
The appliances were transformed as a way to raise awareness about AEP Ohio’s Appliance Recycling Program, the company’s initiative that helps customers use less energy, decrease energy costs, conserve natural resources and protect the environment. AEP Ohio customers can earn a $50 rebate when they schedule their inefficient refrigerator or freezer to be recycled.
AEP Ohio worked with artists from many diverse backgrounds to transform each refrigerator: Teresa Sager, (Starbrick Cooperative Gallery) Nelsonville; Su Nimon (Journey Art Gallery), Canton; Carrie Turner, Natasha Oliver and Joleen Kinsel (The Artist Collective), Zanesville; four artists and two staff members of Kan Du Studio, Findlay and Jessica Wallace, John Emanuele, Jenny DeBrier, Kathy Baldwin and Tessa Robbertz (Open Door Art Studio), Columbus.
“This program has given a group of unique Ohio artists a chance to showcase their talents across the state, and AEP Ohio is very grateful for their participation,” said Dave Tabata, consumer programs and marketing manager at AEP Ohio. “Most importantly, it has generated awareness about the energy wasted using old appliances, and how important it is to recycle.”
The artists responsible for the recycled appliance transformations will appear in AEP Ohio’s booth (511c) at various times throughout the festival to give the public the opportunity to meet the creative minds that made this project possible.
“This was a really great opportunity for the artists of Open Door,” said Tim Cook, art facilitator at Open Door Art Studio. “We don’t get the opportunity to have them work collaboratively like this often . . . [and] they were all excited that they were going to have a piece of art in the Columbus Arts Festival.”
Individuals with children who visit the AEP Ohio booth at the Columbus Arts Festival can pick up a coloring page so they too can have the opportunity to design their own refrigerator. The refrigerator they design will serve as a reminder at home about the importance of recycling.
Recycling an old refrigerator or freezer can save up to $150 a year in energy costs, and helps protect the environment. For additional information about AEP Ohio’s energy efficiency programs, visit AEPOhio.com.
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AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiary Ohio Power Company in Ohio. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5.3 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 32,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information about AEP can be found at AEP.com.
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