Get your free CFL bulbs from Puget Sound Energy
When's the last time you got something free from your power company? You can do just that right now!
It's called Rock the Bulb, a way for Puget Sound Energy to get its residential customers to make the switch from energy-hungry incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient compact florescent.
It's a good deal for you, the utility and the earth.
Jim McDowell was one of the first to show up at the Rock the Bulb event at Lowe's in Bellevue on Friday.
He turned in 10 old incandescent bulbs and got 10 free CFL bulbs.
"It's a wonderful program," he said.
Five thousand incandescent bulbs were turned in at last weekend's Rock the Bulb event in Renton. (There's plenty more events! See pse.com for future dates.) The electricity no longer needed to power these bulbs is equal to taking 105 cars off the road each year. And PSE isn't done yet.
"We hope to give away at least 400,000 bulbs," said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy-Efficient Services at PSE.
I asked him, why would a power company want to sell less electricity?
"Quite simply, it's a lot better to save a kilowatt or a therm of energy than to go out and build it and buy it," he said.
It costs a fortune to build a new power plants. Those construction costs drive up your energy bills. Conservation is a better option all the way around.
"It's better for the customer, better for us," Shirley said. "The bottom line: it's better for the overall footprint in terms of carbon," she said.
"The current CFLs are truly night-and-day compared to what they were even five years ago. They light up faster and come in a variety now of colors," said Andy Wappler of PSE. "They current energy efficient bulbs come in everything from a warmer light to a white light and they are now indistinguishable from an incandescent light except when you to to pay your bill."
Volunteers with Project Porchlight are also helping out by going door-to-door, handing out CFL bulbs.
Making the switch to CFL bulbs can really cut your electric bill. Replace the 10 most frequently-used incandescent lights in your home with CFL bulbs and you can save $400 or more over the life of the bulbs.
Rock the Bulb events take place from now until October throughout PSE service territory.
If you drop a CFL bulb and it breaks, don't panic. Yes, there is mercury inside, but there is a way to safely clean up the mess.
Clear the room for 15 minutes, open an window and shut off any air-conditioning or heating.
Then follow the guideline from the EPA:
Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard. Place them in a glass jar or a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes.
Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
For more information:
Rock the Bulb
Fluorescent Bulb & Tube Recyclers
Switch to fluorescent bulbs and start saving energy
What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks
PSE: Proper disposal of compact fluorescent light bulbs
It's called Rock the Bulb, a way for Puget Sound Energy to get its residential customers to make the switch from energy-hungry incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient compact florescent.
It's a good deal for you, the utility and the earth.
Jim McDowell was one of the first to show up at the Rock the Bulb event at Lowe's in Bellevue on Friday.
He turned in 10 old incandescent bulbs and got 10 free CFL bulbs.
"It's a wonderful program," he said.
Five thousand incandescent bulbs were turned in at last weekend's Rock the Bulb event in Renton. (There's plenty more events! See pse.com for future dates.) The electricity no longer needed to power these bulbs is equal to taking 105 cars off the road each year. And PSE isn't done yet.
"We hope to give away at least 400,000 bulbs," said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy-Efficient Services at PSE.
I asked him, why would a power company want to sell less electricity?
"Quite simply, it's a lot better to save a kilowatt or a therm of energy than to go out and build it and buy it," he said.
It costs a fortune to build a new power plants. Those construction costs drive up your energy bills. Conservation is a better option all the way around.
"It's better for the customer, better for us," Shirley said. "The bottom line: it's better for the overall footprint in terms of carbon," she said.
"The current CFLs are truly night-and-day compared to what they were even five years ago. They light up faster and come in a variety now of colors," said Andy Wappler of PSE. "They current energy efficient bulbs come in everything from a warmer light to a white light and they are now indistinguishable from an incandescent light except when you to to pay your bill."
Volunteers with Project Porchlight are also helping out by going door-to-door, handing out CFL bulbs.
Making the switch to CFL bulbs can really cut your electric bill. Replace the 10 most frequently-used incandescent lights in your home with CFL bulbs and you can save $400 or more over the life of the bulbs.
Rock the Bulb events take place from now until October throughout PSE service territory.
If you drop a CFL bulb and it breaks, don't panic. Yes, there is mercury inside, but there is a way to safely clean up the mess.
Clear the room for 15 minutes, open an window and shut off any air-conditioning or heating.
Then follow the guideline from the EPA:
Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard. Place them in a glass jar or a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes.
Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
For more information:
Rock the Bulb
Fluorescent Bulb & Tube Recyclers
Switch to fluorescent bulbs and start saving energy
What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks
PSE: Proper disposal of compact fluorescent light bulbs