Energy, Defense Depts. Put ENERGY STAR® Lights in Military Housing

The two agencies are challenging military bases nationwide to change out the lighting in their on-base housing - replacing the old, energy hogging, incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs.

The U.S. military goes for energy efficiency in this poster for the Operation Change Out campaign. (Photo courtesy Energy Star)

At Camp Lejeune, the first U.S. military base to participate in Operation Change Out, Secretary Bodman screwed in compact fluorescent bulb number 17,500 at a home on the base.

"By using energy wisely the military can help us access the cheapest and cleanest source of new energy - the energy we waste each and every day," the secretary said.

With Base Commanding Officer Col. Richard P. Flatau, Jr., base personnel, residents and their families as well as over 250 school children at the change out ceremony, Bodman said the campaign will help bases across the country increase energy efficiency, save money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Changing out the 17,500 bulbs at Camp Lejeune will prevent more than 7.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, save nearly five million kilowatt hours of electricity, and at least $500,000 on energy bills over the lifetime of the bulbs, the secretary said.

An installation team member at Camp Lejeune changes out one of 17,500 light bulbs. (Photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Energy)

He said that changing out the 17,500 bulbs at Camp Lejeune will prevent more than 7.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, save nearly five million kilowatt hours of electricity, and also save at least $500,000 on energy bills over the lifetime of the bulbs.

There are more than 200 military facilities located across the United States, so the effect of Operation Change Out could have quite an impact.

Changing one incandescent light bulb to a CFL in every on-base housing unit across the country could could prevent the emissions of more than 95 million pounds of carbon dioxide, the Energy Department says, the equivalent of taking nearly 1,500 cars off the road for one year.

One CFL can save about $30, or more, in electricity costs, the agency says. Those single CFLs add up - to nearly $7 million in energy costs saving over the lifetime of the bulbs.

That single bulb changeout would prevent more than 400 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime, an equivalent of keeping nearly 200 pounds of coal from being burned, according to energy officials.

These spiral light bulbs use 75 percent less energy, last up to 15 times longer, and produce about 75 percent less heat than traditional incandescent models.

Energy Star is a joint program of Energy Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formed in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership that seeks to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency.

More than 9,000 organizations have joined as partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes and businesses. The Energy Star® label appears on more than 50 kinds of consumer products.

Bodman says the Energy Star Operation Change Out campaign will help advance the President's Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management," which directed federal agencies to decrease energy intensity and maximize use of renewable energy.

To learn more about ENERGY STAR®, and to view the revised program requirements, visit EnergyStar.gov or call 1-888-STAR-YES or click here.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.