Campaign offers instant rebates for consumers buying Energy Star bulbs

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A new campaign is under way to help consumers save money and energy with “Energy Star” qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

The “2008 Change a Light, Change the World” effort was launched last week by Alexandria Light and Power, the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA).

The groups say it’s a quick and easy solution to lowering utility bills in addition to saving energy and protecting the environment.

Since 2001, MEEA and its sponsors have sold more than 3.8 million CFLs, saving nearly 1.4 billion kWh of energy, and avoiding the release of 4.1 million tons of carbon emissions into the environment.

Change a Light, Change the World has attracted 12 sponsoring organizations and dozens of retail organizations throughout the Midwest to coordinate a public message and collaborate around this critical initiative.

From October 1 through November 30, Minnesota’s sponsoring organizations and MEEA are encouraging residents of Minnesota to “Change the World” one light, one step at a time by replacing their home’s most frequently used light bulbs with Energy Star qualified CFLs.

In the average home, the most frequently used fixtures are: kitchen ceiling dome light, living room table lamp, living room floor lamp, bathroom vanity light, and outdoor porch or post lamp.

By making this change, a household can save at least $60 a year in energy costs in addition to protecting the environment, according to energy experts.

The program is being held in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) national “Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World” campaign.

MEEA and its sponsoring partners are helping Minnesota residents make the simple switch to energy-efficient lighting by offering $2 instant rebates on Energy Star qualified CFL purchases while supplies last.

With the instant rebates, the CFLs will sell for as little as 99 cents at select retailer locations.

Not only do Energy Star qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than typical incandescent light bulbs, but CFLs also offer superior performance by generating approximately 75 percent less heat than standard incandescent lighting, and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, making frequent changes of hard-to-reach light bulbs a thing of the past.

For more information about the Change a Light, Change the World campaign, call 1-888-476-9548 or visit www.mwalliance.org/cal200.

Tags: energy, star, compact, fluorescent, light, bulbs, rebates