ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
The Air Force District of Washington is participating in the Energy Star® "Operation Change Out - The Military Challenge," a jointly-sponsored effort between the Defense Department and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Operation Change Out encourages everyone connected with a military installation to reduce the energy they use and protect the environment by replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.
"Energy Star-qualified CFLs use 75 percent less energy, produce 75 percent less heat, and last up to 15 times longer than their incandescent counterparts," said Col. Brian Bellacicco, director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support. "For instance, a 60-watt incandescent bulb would have to be replaced eight times to match the lifespan of one 13-watt CFL. Lower wattage also means lower electricity bills for our installations."
Operation Change Out was launched at Camp Lejeune, N.C., in 2008. By changing out 19,000 bulbs, Camp Lejeune saved 5.3 million kilowatt hours of energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by almost 8 million pounds in one year. The base also saved more than $500,000, which is about $26 per CFL.
To learn more about Energy Star products and find out how you can participate in Operation Change Out, visit the Energy Star Web site at
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=oco.op_changeout.