Why It Matters:
Promoting the sale of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) is a great way to increase community awareness and achieve cost-effective electrical savings in your community. CFLs use about one-quarter the electricity and last eight times longer than incandescent bulbs at comparable light levels. Over its lifetime, one 15W CFL replacing a 60W incandescent bulb will reduce energy usage by 450 kWh, avoid approximately 70 pounds of carbon dioxide and save $54.00 in electricity costs. 


CFL Sales make good projects for several reasons. They:
-    Are relatively easy to organize a successful campaign,
-    Provide good visibility, community awareness and education,
-    Achieve very cost-effective electric savings, and
-    Can raise some money for future efforts

How to Do It:
Sales can be done at large gatherings, like town meetings, town fairs, public forums, at the recycling center or even on the street.  You can do pre-orders of bulbs or sell them door to door. Consider working with through your local distributor of CFLs to secure bulbs for sale.  Also, get creative! Work with your local school to get students involved in CFL sales as a good way to raise money and increase the proliferation of CFLs.  

As well, use the opportunity to educate about efficiency of CFLs:
-    CFLs use 1/3 to 1/4 the energy of incandescent bulbs
-    CFLs last 8 - 10 times longer than incandescents
-    CFLs will save $35 - $80 in electric usage over the lifetime of the bulb
-    CFLs cut between 1/4 and 1/2 ton of CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the bulb

Remember to educate about mercury in CFLs and the need to recycle them when burned out. A fossil fuel power plant would emit far more mercury to the atmosphere in generating the extra electricity needed to run an incandescent bulb than exists in a CFL with comparable light output.  Therefore, using CFLs actually reduces global mercury pollution. In addition, the little mercury that does exist in CFLs can easily be captured if they are properly recycled, whereas mercury from power plants pollutes the environment. Burnt out bulbs can be recycled at most True Value, Aubuchon and Ace Hardware stores in Vermont. Note: See the link at the bottom of www.mercvt.org for a complete list.

Resources:
Efficiency Vermont is Vermont's best resource for community CFL campaigns. EVT can assist you in organizing CFL sales and can provide discounts on bulbs. Call 888-921-5990 or click here for more information about CFLs and how Efficiency Vermont might help.

Energy Federation Inc. also makes CFLs available. Learn more about EFI - a non-profit selling energy efficient products and weatherization supplies - by calling 800-876-0660 or email
info@efi.org. 

Sustainable Energy Resource Group can provide information and assistance in organizing CFL sales. Contact SERG at 802-785-4126 or email SERG@valley.net.

Vermont Energy Education Program provides fun training and educational materials, including a stationary bicycle that hooks to a generator and a panel of lights so people can peddle to see how much easier it is to light the CFLs than the incandescents. See if VEEP can attend your sale with their educational materials. Reach VEEP at veep@kingcon.net or 802-748-8917.

Energy Committee Case Studies:
Several Vermont communities have undertaken successful CFL sales. Find the contact information for experts communities - Manchester, Middlebury and Montpelier here - and ask them how you might start a CFL campaign in your community.