Lighting


EPIPHANY IS THE “SEASON OF LIGHT” Here are two projects you can do to celebrate this season with your congregation for Epiphany. Project One Change the lighting in your church building and grounds: Replace all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)—indoor lights, outdoor lights, exit lights, closet lights. Do an inventory. You will be amazed at the number of light fixtures in your church. You will also be astounded at the financial savings. They pay for themselves in months. And they significantly reduce the use of carbon. Announce to the congregation the likely financial savings and the savings for Earth (see below) Project Two: Challenge the congregation to lower the carbon footprint of the congregation by placing compact fluorescent bulbs in the home in place of incandescent bulbs. Identify some local stores where they can purchase CFLs, often with instant rebates. Give a deadline for people to makes the changes and report their numbers to the church office. Most apartments have 10 to 15 light fixtures. Most homes have 25 to 50. See how many you can change! Add up the numbers and report the likely reduction in carbon. Then announce your achievement in local papers as a way to encourage others to do the same. Contributions to the needy: Give one dollar to the church for every CFL you install. Then have someone purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs and make them available to families that cannot afford them (perhaps to be distributed through a food bank). Here is the information you need to promote your project. “LET THE LIGHTS SHINE” REPLACE ALL INCANDESCENT BULBS IN YOUR CHURCH WITH CFLS PURCHASE CREATION-FRIENDLY LIGHT BULBS FOR YOUR HOME Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs in your home Fixtures in main rooms (in enclosed fixtures, they will not last as long) Floor and Table lamps everywhere Closets Basement, attic, and garage Dimmer switches require special bulbs Choices (try different ones and find the right one for each space in your home). 13 Watt CFL (= 60 watt) 18 watt CFL (= 75 watt) 23 watt CFL (= 100 watt) Benefits ● Creates the same lights (lumens) with much less wattage (up to 75 percent less energy!) ● Lasts ten times longer (average is ten years!) ● Save $30.00 to $50.00 over the life time of the bulb ● Change your five most used lights and save over $60.00 a year ● Save personal time and energy buying and changing bulbs ● Save the burning of 500 pounds of coal (yes that is correct!) in the lifetime of each bulb ● Improve air quality and reduce global warming: reduce 500 to 1,500 pounds of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere over the lifetime of the bulb. ● Fewer mercury emissions. Even though the bulbs have trace amounts of mercury (no emissions if properly disposed), nevertheless, given the lesser amount of coal burning with incandescent, the mercury emissions are fewer with CFLs than with incandescent light bulbs. Cautions: Do not use in enclosed fixtures (because they do not last as long) Use only special dimmer bulbs in dimmer fixtures Use only special three-way bubs in three-way fixtures Protect outdoor lights from moisture Treat as hazardous waste in disposal of used bulbs. Disposal: If a CFL breaks, clean up thoroughly, place remains in trash, and wash well. Dispose of safely: Do not discard in the trash. Save them and find home stores and hardware stores in your area that recycle these bulbs. For more information see the cover story, “Why We Need to see the Light about Energy Efficiency” in the January 12, 2009 issue of TIME Note: For another related “light” project consider installing light sensitive switches in various rooms in the church.

EPIPHANY IS THE “SEASON OF LIGHT”

Here are two projects you can do to celebrate this season with your congregation for Epiphany.

Project One Change the lighting in your church building and grounds: Replace all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)—indoor lights, outdoor lights, exit lights, closet lights. Do an inventory. You will be amazed at the number of light fixtures in your church. You will also be astounded at the financial savings. They pay for themselves in months. And they significantly reduce the use of carbon. Announce to the congregation the likely financial savings and the savings for Earth (see below)

Project Two: Challenge the congregation to lower the carbon footprint of the congregation by placing compact fluorescent bulbs in the home in place of incandescent bulbs. Identify some local stores where they can purchase CFLs, often with instant rebates. Give a deadline for people to makes the changes and report their numbers to the church office. Most apartments have 10 to 15 light fixtures. Most homes have 25 to 50. See how many you can change! Add up the numbers and report the likely reduction in carbon. Then announce your achievement in local papers as a way to encourage others to do the same.

Contributions to the needy: Give one dollar to the church for every CFL you install. Then have someone purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs and make them available to families that cannot afford them (perhaps to be distributed through a food bank).

Here is the information you need to promote your project.

“LET THE LIGHTS SHINE”

REPLACE ALL INCANDESCENT BULBS IN YOUR CHURCH WITH CFLS

PURCHASE CREATION-FRIENDLY LIGHT BULBS FOR YOUR HOME

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs in your home
Fixtures in main rooms (in enclosed fixtures, they will not last as long)
Floor and Table lamps everywhere
Closets
Basement, attic, and garage
Dimmer switches require special bulbs

Choices (try different ones and find the right one for each space in your home).
13 Watt CFL (= 60 watt)
18 watt CFL (= 75 watt)
23 watt CFL (= 100 watt)

Benefits

● Creates the same lights (lumens) with much less wattage (up to 75 percent less energy!)

● Lasts ten times longer (average is ten years!)

● Save $30.00 to $50.00 over the life time of the bulb

● Change your five most used lights and save over $60.00 a year

● Save personal time and energy buying and changing bulbs

● Save the burning of 500 pounds of coal (yes that is correct!) in the lifetime of each bulb

● Improve air quality and reduce global warming: reduce 500 to 1,500 pounds of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere over the lifetime of the bulb.

● Fewer mercury emissions. Even though the bulbs have trace amounts of mercury (no emissions if properly disposed), nevertheless, given the lesser amount of coal burning with incandescent, the mercury emissions are fewer with CFLs than with incandescent light bulbs.

Cautions:

Do not use in enclosed fixtures (because they do not last as long)
Use only special dimmer bulbs in dimmer fixtures
Use only special three-way bubs in three-way fixtures
Protect outdoor lights from moisture
Treat as hazardous waste in disposal of used bulbs.

Disposal:
If a CFL breaks, clean up thoroughly, place remains in trash, and wash well.
Dispose of safely: Do not discard in the trash. Save them and find home stores and hardware stores in your area that recycle these bulbs.

For more information see the cover story, “Why We Need to see the Light about Energy Efficiency” in the January 12, 2009 issue of TIME

Note: For another related “light” project consider installing light sensitive switches in various rooms in the church.