Change a Light, Change the World – and Save Money

Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
publicaffairs@fairfaxcounty.gov

Oct. 3, 2007

Change a Light, Change the World – and Save Money

Fairfax County Joins ENERGY STAR Campaign

Fairfax County encourages residents to join the ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World campaign, a national call-to-action that promotes the small step of changing a light bulb as a means of protecting the environment and preserving energy resources.

Through a partnership between the National Association of Counties and Office Depot, from Oct. 3 to Nov. 30, county residents can pledge online at www.naco.org/changealight to replace at least one standard light bulb in their home with an energy-efficient compact florescent light. After pledging, residents will receive a $3 discount coupon toward an energy-efficient light bulb purchase at Office Depot.

During the first weekend of the campaign, Friday, Oct. 5, through Monday, Oct. 8, Virginia is offering an ENERGY STAR sales tax holiday. Virginia consumers can visit their local retailer and save both state and local sales tax on ENERGY STAR qualified products of $2,500 or less, including household appliances. More information on the sales tax holiday can be found at www.dmme.virginia.gov.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing a 100-watt incandescent light bulb with a 32-watt compact fluorescent lamp will save at least $30 in energy costs over the life of just that one bulb and give the same brightness. If every American home replaced one light with an energy efficient one, every year we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
The Change a Light, Change the World campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For more information on the county’s initiative, contact Jennifer Gorter, Facilities Management Department, at 703-324-2808, TTY 711.

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For more news and information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.