What is the Change a Light, Change the World Campaign?

The ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign is a national call-to-action to encourage individuals to help change the world, one light - one energy-saving step - at a time. Individuals who already pledged in 2005 will help save more than $2 million in energy costs and prevent more than 33 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and Department of Housing and Urban Development are pleased to partner to sponsor the Campaign this year. Learn more about the Campaign (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=change_light.changealight_about).

Going into its 7th year, the campaign builds momentum throughout the summer and early fall with a central rallying point on ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day, Wednesday, October 4th, 2006. Organizations across the nation come together to help celebrate this day with activities, events, government proclamations, and store promotions around energy-efficient lighting that run through November. Learn more about the Change a Light Day.

If all the households in Tennessee took the Change a Light Pledge at www.energystar.gov/changealight, and changed just one incandescent light bulb to an ENERGY STAR qualified light bulb, the combined individual efforts could save up to 119 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. This is enough energy to light all the households in Nashville, Tennessee, for 90 days, and could reduce household electrical bills by a combined total of $12.4 million a year.

The goal is to encourage at least 500,000 people to take the ENERGY STAR Change a Light Pledge over the course of the campaign year. Make a pledge today. Be sure to choose your organization carefully.

What can I do?
Switching to more efficient lighting is an easy and significant step every one of us can take today to save both money and energy, while helping to prevent greenhouse gas emissions. ENERGY STAR ® qualified light bulbs and fixtures use two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to ten times longer

What can mayors/cities do to partner with us?

1. Pledge to change at least one incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb in a city building between October 4, 2006, and September 30, 2007. You can take the pledge online at www.energystar.gov/changealight.
2. Issue a proclamation designating October 4, 2006 as Change a Light, Change the World Day in your city.
3. Incorporate Energy Star ® rated materials into your HUD-assisted projects (rehabilitation or new construction, single family homes, rental units, homeless facilities, et cetera).
4. Promote the energy awareness campaign to city staff, sub-recipients, and partners. Encourage them to take the pledge and to change a light. For more information, please call the Knoxville, Memphis or Nashville HUD Field Office Director.

In Tennessee HUD's three field offices in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville will participate in several events to promote individual, community and statewide energy savings initiatives.

• Covington Energy Star Promotion, 10/4 at 10:30 a.m.
• McMinnville Change a Light, Change the World Day 10/4 at 1:30 p.m.
• Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World Day, 10/4 at 10:00 a.m.
• Clarksville Change a Light, Change the World Campaign, 10/10 at 3:00 p.m.