[instrumental music]
One of my favorite objects in the Archives is “Reduce Your Chills
and Cut Your Bills,” a public service announcement from Seattle City Light.
[tube TV turning on sound effect] [TV static sound effect]
Oh! Electric bills got you down?
Maybe you rent or maybe you own.
You can live with people or alone.
A low heat bill is what you need!
To help you live within your means.
In the 1980s, City Light developed and produced a plethora of PSAs
and educational presentations tailored in efforts to serve a more
diverse community while addressing a variety of utility related topics.
Each PSA was designed to be entertaining and informative
to its intended demographic.
To reach a broader audience with their energy conservation message,
City Light created “Reduce Your Chills and Cut Your Bills” in 1987
as part of its multiethnic community outreach program.
The musical PSA provides an engaging take on ways for local residents
to reduce their electrical consumption and therefore their utility
bill costs all in the form of a call-and-response rap.
You can save energy and still stay warm.
This energy rap is too inform.
Don’t freeze in the dark or rant or rave!
Here’s some tips to help you save.
[winding down music]
Shot on 3/4” U-matic and later
transferred to 1-inch Type C videotape for television broadcast,
this educational advertisement is packed with 80s hallmarks and local legends.
The lyrics are written by Seattle hip-hop superstar Sir Mix-A-Lot.
Fellow rapper Steve Wesley performs the song with support from Madrona Youth
Theatre students, including musician and actor Felicia Loud.
The performance was directed by then Madrona Youth Theatre Program Director
Steven Speed,
who went on to be
the executive director of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.
Noted as an award-winning presentation in a 1988 memo from the City Light Video Program,
the advice, delivered in clever rhyme, remains helpful and effective.
Packed with great dancing, 80s fashion, an eclectic collection
of colorful door snakes, catchy
lyrics and practical tips on staying warm without breaking the bank.
To view this and other PSAs from City Light, please
visit archives.seattle.gov.
[music]