Article
provided by Energy Star, written by Joyce McMahon, July 2006
Did you know that the energy you use in
your home can be responsible for twice the greenhouse gas
emissions as your car? That’s because most electricity is
generated by burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse
gases into our air.
A lot of people want to change their
energy use habits in order make a difference, but don’t know
where to start. Well, you’ve come to the right place because
we have a bright idea.
Helping improve the world takes less
time and energy than you might think. In fact, it’s as
simple as changing a light bulb.
National Grid, NSTAR, the Cape Light
Compact, Unitil, and Western Massachusetts Electric Company
have joined the ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World
campaign – a national challenge sponsored by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy
to help Americans change the world one light, one step, at a
time.
By taking the Change a Light, Change
the World pledge you can join tens of thousands of other
Americans who are pledging to do their part to help protect
the environment. Simply log on to www.myenergystar.com
and click on the Change a Light link.
Traditional incandescent bulbs and
inefficient fixtures can cause you to spend more each year to
light your home than to operate your refrigerator. Plus
you’re spending more money than you have to by using extra
electricity that creates a lot of unnecessary pollution.
According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, lighting accounts for approximately 20
percent of a home’s overall electricity usage. While the
monthly amount may not be substantial, over time the costs can
really add up. One ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent
lamp or CFL can save you approximately $25-$50 over its
lifetime because it uses 60-70% less electricity. In addition,
you replace the CFLs less often because they last up to ten
times longer than commonly used incandescent bulbs.
In fact, if every household in
Massachusetts swapped out just one incandescent bulb for a CFL,
the change would save nearly $17 million in energy costs and
prevent more than 273 million pounds of annual greenhouse gas
emissions – the equivalent of taking nearly 25,000 cars off
the road.
ISO New England, the operator of the
region’s electric grid estimates that demand for electricity
in our region is growing at a rate of 1.9 percent annually –
the equivalent of needing to add one 600 megawatt power plant
each year (1 megawatt is enough to power approximately 1,000
homes) . ISO also
notes that we can reduce that need for new power through
energy conservation and efficiency.
ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs and lighting
fixtures are available from a large number of manufacturers
and come in a wide variety of styles to accommodate any home
decor or indoor/outdoor lighting need. They are generally
available at your local grocery or hardware store, home
improvement warehouse or lighting showroom.
Remember to take the Change
a Light pledge doing so will help give the world a brighter
future and you’ll save big.
