Showing posts with label compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Let There Be Light(bulbs)

Shop IPL, the Interfaith Power and Light online conservation products emporium, has been featured in an article in the Eco-publication Grist. If your state has an IPL chapter, you may very well be eligible for a discount on products. Check out the article below:
Interfaith Power and Light, an organization dedicated to a "religious response to global warming," has just launched an online store, ShopIPL.org, where religious institutions, people of faith, and freeloading atheists can go to buy energy-efficient lighting, solar cookers, and other environmentally friendly gizmos for house and church alike.
It's creation care in action. I learned about this through my sister-in-law Allison Fisher, who works for the Greater Washington division of Interfaith Power and Light. Heretofore, she's mainly been confined to having one-day church presentations where people can buy compact fluorescent lightbulbs and a handful of other eco-appliances; now, even congregation members who don't make it to church every Sunday can read about the website in their church newsletter and go online. While they're there, they'll be able to purchase a full range of energy-efficient schwag, from LED exit signs to high-tech insulation. (Prices are generally lower than other stores, especially with the discount you get by entering the shopIPL code at checkout.)
This sort of activity could have a significant impact (from an IPL press release):
The EPA reports that if more than 300,000 places of worship ... across the United States reduced energy usage by 10 percent, they would save nearly $200 million. Cutting energy use by just 10 percent would also prevent more than 2 million tons of greenhouse gas (global warming) emissions -- the equivalent of removing 400,000 cars from the road.
Perhaps more importantly, Allison reports that buying LED exit signs has proved a gateway drug to environmental activism; more than 30 percent of the congregations she's worked with on improving the energy efficiency of their churches have gone on to get involved in local climate activism with groups like the
Chesapeake Climate Action Network -- where they've helped pass, for instance, a clean energy standard, a Clean Car Act to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from cars, and even state carbon caps.
I think the prophet Isaiah would agree, this is better than prayer!
If you state has an IPL chapter, you may be eligible for a discount on energy-saving products sold on the IPL website. Interfaith Power and Light has chapters in 22 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.htm

Friday, March 30, 2007

Conserve to Combat Climate Change

According to peopleandplanet.net, a new report by the UN Environmental Program says that energy conservation and switching to energy efficient lightbulbs would be a significant factor in combatting future climate change.

The report, Buildings and Climate Change, by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)says many opportunities exist for governments, industry and consumers to take appropriate actions during the life span of buildings that will help mitigate the impacts of global warming.
Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, said:“ Energy efficiency, along with cleaner and renewable forms of energy generation, is one of the pillars upon which a de-carbonized world will stand or fall. The savings that can be made right now are potentially huge and the costs to implement them relatively low if sufficient numbers of governments, industries, businesses and consumers act”.
By some conservative estimates, he said, the building sector alone could deliver emission reductions of 1.8 billion tonnes of C02 around the world. "A more aggressive energy efficiency policy might deliver over two billion tonnes or close to three times the amount scheduled to be reduced under the Kyoto Protocol,” he added.

“There is more low hanging fruit to be harvested. Several countries, including Australia, Cuba and the European Union are looking to phase out or ban the traditional incandescent light bulb that has been around forwell over a century in various forms. The International Energy Agency estimates that a total global switch to compact fluorescent bulbs would, in 2010 deliver C02 savings of 470 million tonnes or slightly over half of theKyoto reductions.

IREJN is Connecticut's Interfaith Power and Light. Visit us and learn about our energy conservation education program "This Old House of Worship" at www.irejn.org.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Going Fluorescent Down Under



The Australian government on Tuesday announced plans to phase out incandescent light bulbs and replace them with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs across the country.
Legislation to gradually restrict the sale of the old-style bulbs could reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tons by 2012 and cut household power bills by up to 66 percent, said Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

IREJN is Connecticut's Interfaith Power and Light. Visit us at www.irejn.org.