Announces Major Earth Day 2007 Effort Targeting 500 Million People to Switch to Energy Efficient Lighting
Earth Day Network called on lighting manufacturers and policy makers today to ban the inefficient incandescent light bulb by 2016. EDN President Kathleen Rogers made the announcement during a news conference held by Philips Lighting North America, the Lighting Efficiency Coalition, Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Ill.).
“As a member of this Coalition, we support Philips’ call today for legislation and policy decisions which encourage the transition to energy efficient lighting by 2016,” said EDN President Kathleen Rogers. “However, Earth Day Network is not waiting for legislation to demand a mandatory phase-out of the inefficient incandescent light bulb.”
“Today we are announcing that Earth Day 2007 will be remembered as the beginning of the end for the inefficient incandescent – because a global mandatory phase-out is a bright idea whose time has come,” Rogers said.
Earth Day Network announced that beginning on Earth Day, April 22, 2007, the organization’s Project Switch will harness the buying power and political determination of thousands of grassroots partners around the world. Project Switch, which is dedicated to switching out inefficient incandescent light bulbs, will reach out to the over 500 million people worldwide who participate in Earth Day civic activities, challenging them to pledge to do two things:
Switch out old incandescent bulbs for high-efficiency bulbs, such as CFL’s Call on their elected officials to support a mandatory 2016 phase-out of low efficiency incandescent lighting
“Through this sustained effort, consumers will – and lawmakers must – rally to make our policies and buying habits catch up with the reality of global warming and the critical need for energy efficiency,” Rogers said.
Earth Day Network is calling for a mandatory phase-out, but as a member of the Lighting Efficiency Coalition will also join in the push for new public policies that provide consumers and businesses with incentives to purchase more energy-efficient products.
The economic and environmental benefits of energy-efficient lighting to the individual consumer and to society are substantial. If adopted across the United States, energy-efficient lighting would save consumers and businesses approximately $18 billion annually on electricity bills. Annual energy demand for lighting would be reduced by the equivalent of what is generated by thirty nuclear power plants or up to 80 coal burning power plants. Over 158 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 5,700 pounds of airborne mercury emissions would be eliminated.
About Earth Day Network
Earth Day Network, www.earthday.net, seeks to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet. It pursues these goals through education, politics, cultural events, and consumer activism. Current grassroots programs include the Climate Change Solutions Campaign, Campaign for Communities, and the National Civic Education Project. Earth Day Network works with more than 105,000 K-12 teachers in the United States alone. In 2006, EDN launched Earth Day Television, greatly expanding its reach to a global network of more than 15,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. More than 500 million people participate in Earth Day civic activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.
The 38th Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22, 2007.
