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The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defense (DOD) have launched a joint campaign to promote the use of energy-efficiency light bulbs on all military bases in the country.

The ENERGY STAR^® campaign – Operation Change Out – will challenge military bases to swap incandescent light bulbs for energy efficient compact fluorescent ones (CFLs). CFLs use 75% less energy, last up to 15 times longer and produce around 75% less heat than traditional incandescent light bulbs.

“By using energy wisely the military can help us access the cheapest and cleanest source of new energy – the energy we waste each and every day,” said US Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman at the campaign launch.

By changing the 17,500 light bulbs at just one military base – Camp Lejune in North Carolina – CO₂ emissions will be reduced by more than 7.5 million pounds, which is equivalent to 5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and at least $500,000 in energy bills. There are over 200 military bases in the US and together they could reduce CO₂ emissions by 95 million pounds – equivalent of taking 1500 cars off the road for a year – and save $7 million in energy costs by this simple measure alone.

Camp Lejune is the first base to take part in Operation Change Out, which is aimed at meeting President Bush’s directive to federal agencies to decrease energy intensity and increase use of renewable sources of energy.

For further information: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=oco.op_changeout