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EPA Kicks Off Annual ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change a World Campaign - Delaware’s Governor Minner Recognized for Environmental Leadership at Oct. 5 Event

Release Date: 10/5/2005
Contact Information: Donna Heron, 215-814-5113

Donna Heron, 215-814-5113

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy today kicked off the annual “ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign” and urged Americans to change a light in their home to a more energy-efficient one as an important step to save energy, save money and protect our environment.

At an event today in Dover, Del., EPA Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh praised Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and the State of Delaware for encouraging residents to purchase energy-efficient lighting and appliances.

“EPA congratulates Governor Minner and the State of Delaware for taking the ENERGY STAR Change a Light pledge, and encouraging Delaware residents to do the same,” said Donald S. Welsh, Regional Administrator for the EPA's Mid-Atlantic region. “When you consider that nearly 20 percent of our nation's residential electricity use goes toward lighting our homes, changing a light bulb to one that carries the Energy Star label is one of the easiest things people can do to help improve the environment.

President Bush has called on the American people to do their part by conserving fuels and ensuring that the areas hit hardest by Katrina and Rita have the energy supplies they need for relief and restoration efforts. The president also directed the federal government to take the lead in conserving energy.

If every U.S. household replaces just one incandescent light bulb at home with one that earned the ENERGY STAR label, the country will save $600 million in energy bills, save enough energy to light 7 million homes, and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1 million cars.

DOE and EPA launch the annual “ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign” and declare Oct. 5, as “ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day.” Americans are encouraged to take an on-line pledge to replace one incandescent bulb or fixture in their home with one that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. The pledge can be found at: http://www.energystar.gov/changealight.

“On Monday, I announced a nationwide effort to highlight easy things every American can do to help save energy. Changing a regular light bulb to an ENERGY STAR bulb is a great first step,”Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said. “Today, the technology driving ENERGY STAR lighting is better than ever. The costs of these products are decreasing while the selection and availability of these products is expanding. We estimate that if every household changed just one bulb to an ENERGY STAR light bulb, families across the country could save about $3 billion over the lifetime of the bulbs.”

Lighting accounts for nearly 20 percent of electricity costs, with the average home containing more than 30 light fixtures. ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs and fixtures help reduce household energy costs because they use one-third the energy of traditional lighting, and last up to 10 times longer. Consumers can save up to $25 in utility costs over the lifetime of one bulb. Replacing the most frequently used lights at home will yield the most savings.

“Americans should realize how such a small step can help preserve our energy resources and environment,” said Stephen L. Johnson, Environmental Protection Agency administrator. “We are delighted to work with partners in offering consumers common-sense energy efficiency solutions that lower energy bills while handing the next generation a better environment.”

The ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign is one of the first major activities of the Partnership for Home Energy Efficiency announced in July. This multi-agency effort of HUD, DOE and EPA seeks to help households save 10 percent or more on home energy bills over the next 10 years.

The federal effort announced today is coupled with the efforts of more than half the nation's governors who will be declaring Oct. 5 as ENERGY STAR Change a Light day. EPA and DOE have been joined by the governors of Delaware, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan.

ENERGY STAR is a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency. More than 7,000 organizations have become Energy Star partners and are committed to improving the energy efficiency.