City launches ‘Change a Light, Dispose it Right’

Are you using standard old light bulbs? At first glance they are cheap. But when you add up how much it cost you to use regular old incandescent bulbs you'll soon realize how much they really cost.

Incandescent bulbs waste 90 percent of their energy generating heat. The "fuel" efficiency of a CFL is like replacing a car that gets 20 miles per gallon with one that gets 100 miles per gallon.

Replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs lower the electrical bill for lighting up to 75%. If you replaced 20 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 23-watt CFLs, you would save 1,040 watts for every hour that the lamps burned. At five hours per day, this means saving over 2,000 kWh or about $208 back in your pocket every year. (Replace them with a 20-watt CFL and save more – but slightly less light.)

Now through the end of the year, IPL is offering immediate in-store rebates on compact florescent lights. I went to Cardwell Do It Best at 3025 Madison Ave. last week and bought three bulbs at one dollar each. That is a great deal. Many local hardware stores are offering this promotion. Save yourself money and save our world.

From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2007 (or while supplies last), Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) is encouraging Indianapolis residents to “Change the World” one light at a time by replacing the bulbs in their home’s five most frequently used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs. In the average home, the most frequently used fixtures are: kitchen ceiling dome light, living room table lamp, living room floor lamp, bathroom vanity light and outdoor porch or post lamp. By making this change, a household could save up to $30 a year in energy costs.

More details here:
http://www.iplpower.com/ipl/index?page=IPLNewsDetail2&Menu=06040000&id=02039194d3720115576435fe007f46

Along these lines, consider the following:
Public awareness campaign to ensure fluorescent lighting is properly disposed

INDIANAPOLIS – As part of the national ‘Change a Light, Change the World’ campaign, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works is launching an awareness campaign to remind residents and businesses to properly dispose of fluorescent lighting.

Fluorescent light tubes and compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, contain a small amount of mercury, a toxic substance harmful to humans and animals. Properly disposing of these used lights helps keep mercury out of our air, land and water.

Fluorescent lighting brought to one of the city’s ToxDrop locations ensures the mercury is removed and reused. ToxDrop locations, dates and times include:



· Open the first and third Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

o IMPD Training Facility, 9049 E. 10th St.

o Trader’s Point, 7550 N. Lafayette Rd.

· Open the second and fourth Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

o Perry Township Government Center, 4925 S. Shelby St.

· Open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m.

o Belmont Ave. Collection Facility, 2700 S. Belmont Ave.



Businesses that generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste each month can also take advantage of the ToxDrop program. Simply call 327-4TOX to arrange an appointment for collection. Larger monthly users of fluorescent and other types of energy-efficient lighting should work with a private recycler.

As part of the ‘dispose it right’ campaign, DPW will be inviting local businesses to take advantage of a lighting recycling promotion. Thanks to a mercury awareness grant, the city will be offering businesses a one-use, pre-paid box to properly dispose of fluorescent lighting. After the box is filled with up to 64 four-foot or 30 eight-foot fluorescent tubes, the box is mailed to a vendor who ensures the contents are properly recycled. Supplies are limited. To learn more, call (317) 327-4TOX.

For more information about Change A Light, Dispose it Right, visit www.IndyGov.org/CFL.