ENERGY STAR'S Change A Light Program

The ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign is a national call-to-action from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to encourage every individual to help change the world, one light — one energy-saving step — at a time.

At the campaign's heart is the ENERGY STAR Change a Light Pledge: a way for individuals to commit to being more energy-efficient by switching at least one light in their home to an ENERGY STAR qualified one. Click on the link above to TAKE THE PLEDGE. Allegheny Power will automatically be selected as the referring organization. This pledge is a simple, but vital method of forming a community of inspired individuals across the nation to commit to saving energy and join the fight against global warming. As of May 12, Allegheny Power has received 2,535 pledges. totaling 30,805 bulbs. That equates to: 8,687,010 kWh in electricity savings, and the prevention of 12,599,245 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions!

ENERGY STAR Qualified Lighting An ENERGY STAR qualified light bulb or fixture can save about $30 or more in electricity costs and prevent more than 400 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime, an equivalent of keeping nearly 200 pounds of coal from being burned.

ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs and fixtures use 75% less energy, last up to 10 times longer, and produce about 75% less heat than traditional incandescent models so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling. ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are available in different sizes and shapes, including mini-spiral, spiral and A-line, which fit in almost any fixture. On average, each CFL can save more than $30 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the bulb and prevent more than 400 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. That's the equivalent of keeping nearly 200 pounds of coal from being burned.

How do you choose the right bulb or fixture? First, look for the government's ENERGY STAR label. When you see the government's ENERGY STAR label on a light bulb or fixture, you can trust that it has met rigorous energy efficiency, quality and lifetime standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy — and is backed by a 2-year manufacturer warranty.

Match the right CFL type to the right kind of fixture to help ensure that it will perform properly and last longer. Read the packaging to be sure that the type you choose works for the fixture you have in mind. For example:

• If a light fixture is connected to a dimmer or three-way switch, select CFLs that are labeled for this use
• For recessed fixtures, it is better to use a 'reflector' CFL instead of a standard type

To get the ENERGY STAR qualified light bulb or fixture with the right amount of light, choose one that offers the same lumen rating as the light you are replacing. The higher the lumen rating, the greater the light output. For your convenience, manufacturers also often label their packaging in terms of watt replacement.

Choose the color that works best for you. For example, while most CFLs are created with warm colors for most rooms in your home (2700 to 3000 degrees Kelvin), you can choose a cooler color for task lighting (3500 to 6500 degrees Kelvin).

Your energy-efficient lighting choices do not end with light bulbs — you can find the ENERGY STAR label on entire light fixtures and lamps for your home. ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures are designed from the ground up to deliver energy savings and high quality.

ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures come in hundreds of popular styles, including portable fixtures — such as table, desk, floor, and torchiere lamps — and hard-wired fixtures such as outdoor, cabinet, suspended, ceiling-mount, wall-mount, and more.

Maryland Residential Customer Compact Fluorescent Lighting Energy Efficiency Program

Fact Sheet on CFL Disposal