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Richmond Climate Action Committee |
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Written by Will Keyworth
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Change-a-Light Challenge Offers Big Savings on Electric BillsA group of Richmond residents has launched a campaign to encourage families and businesses in Richmond to replace old-style, incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).
Teaming up with Efficiency Vermont, the Richmond Climate Action Committee has launched the Change-a-Light Challenge, with a goal of changing 10 percent of the incandescent bulbs in town to CFLs by December 31. They have made the change easy and rewarding by arranging for Richmond Home Supply to sell CFLs for 99 cents each.
“These lights normally go for several dollars each,” says Steve Bower, chair of the committee. “They use 75% less energy so even at regular prices they quickly pay for themselves. A CFL that replaces a 75-watt bulb used several hours per day will save about $10 per year, or about $50 over its lifetime.” Download the press release to read the whole story - Click here .
It’s a long lifetime, too – CFLs can last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.
The committee cites facts showing that the average homeowner can cut his or her electric bill by $65 a year just by replacing the five most frequently used bulbs in the house with CFLs. At Richmond Home Supply, ENERGY STAR-rated CFLs are now on sale for 99 cents. Brightnesses are equal to 60-, 75- and 100-watt incandescent bulbs. The store is also offering savings on specialty CFLs such as globes and 4.75-inch spotlights.
“These are all new-model CFLs,” says Bower. “They’re comparable in size and light quality to incandescent bulbs – they just cost a lot less to use.”
Bower says that the 10 percent goal of the Challenge amounts to replacing about 4,000 lights, comparable to what other Vermont towns have done. If the community succeeds, residents will have cut their electric bills by a total of more than $40,000 per year.
Lauren Esserman, another member of the group, points to the more global benefits.
“There is remarkable consensus among energy policy experts that the best way to solve our energy problems is to reduce our demand for energy in the first place,” she says. “By using CFLs and other energy-efficient technologies, we can go a long way toward slowing global warming and solving other energy supply issues.”
“Let’s all do this together,” urges Esserman. “Let’s give CFLs for the holidays, and make using more CFLs ourselves part of a community New Year’s resolution to all work together to reduce global warming.”
Besides selling CFLs at extra-low prices, Richmond Home Supply will also recycle used ones for customers. This is important because CFLs contain small amounts of mercury that need to be disposed of properly so it doesn’t accumulate in land fills or elsewhere in the environment.
The Richmond Climate Action Committee convened last spring to help Richmond residents, businesses and town government reduce the community’s contributions to global climate change through local action. More information on the Richmond CFL challenge and other ways to save energy and fight global warning is available at the committee’s website, RichmondClimateAction.net. |