Eight North American families compete for the title of "Climate Idol" - part of an international environmental competition to see who can do the most to reduce their carbon footprint.

Stamford, CT - February 23, 2011 - Eight North American families are in a heated competition to see who can claim the "Idol" title - but this competition has nothing to do with singing or stage presence, but is focused on things like light bulbs, water temperatures, organic produce and carbon footprints instead.

Four families from Duluth, Minnesota are locked in a fierce competition with four Thunder Bay families to see who can claim the title of "Climate Idol." The competition is a friendly environmental awareness competition being sponsored by Duluth Sisters Cities International. Both teams will receive coaching from families in Vaxjo, Sweden. Thunder Bay and Vaxjo are sister cities of Duluth and Vaxjo was named "Greenest City in Europe."

Over the course of the year the families will work on reducing home energy usage, tackle transportation issues through walking, biking and busing more, and try to eat more locally grown organic food and consume less meat which will reduce greenhouse gases. The goal is for the families to learn how each aspect of their lives and the decisions they make contribute to the production of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas many scientists say is contributing to global warming. Each family will try to reduce their "carbon footprint" as much as possible.

MXenergy, one of North America's fastest growing independent energy providers, who just achieved Carbon Neutrality for the third straight year, applauds the Climate Idol competition and each family's efforts.

"This competition perfectly illustrates that literally every person on this planet can be doing something to make a difference," says Jeffrey Mayer, MXenergy President and CEO. "Whether you are a large energy company or an individual making decisions about what food to buy and how to get to work in the morning, we each leave our mark. It is the responsibility of us all to try and make that mark as small as possible."

This is the third straight year MXenergy has voluntarily partnered with the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) to offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the company's national operations. Beyond addressing the emissions associated with business operations, MXenergy has continued to encourage its employees and business partners to reduce consumption of resources through smart energy and transportation management.

As a national supplier of natural gas and electricity with more than 500,000 customers across the nation, MXenergy maintains a commitment to working with customers to reduce their environmental impact. The company also offers a program for customers to offset the emissions associated with their utility purchases.

The Climate Idols competition will run throughout the year. People can find out more information and track each family's progress by visiting www.climateidols.org.

#################

About MXenergy

MXenergy is one of the fastest growing retail natural gas and electricity suppliers in North America, serving approximately 500,000 customers in 41 utility territories in the United States and Canada. For over 11 years, the company has provided millions of customers with a choice in how they purchase energy to run their homes and businesses. Founded in 1999 to provide natural gas and electricity to consumers in deregulated energy markets, MXenergy helps residential customers and small business owners control their energy bills by providing both fixed and variable rate plans. MXenergy is committed to best practices in environmental conservation, supporting local communities through various outreach programs and is a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange. For more information MXenergy please visit www.mxenergy.com.