How long does it take to change every light bulb in the federal government? For the good of the environment, members of the House want it done as quickly as possible.
Reps. Jane Harman, D-Calif., and Fred Upton, R-Mich., are pushing to require, through the fiscal 2008 budget, that every federal agency, department and office replace their traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient Energy Star bulbs. The mandate has so far been added to six appropriations bills: interior, legislative branch, energy and water, state and foreign operations, military construction and veterans affairs, and homeland security.
The federal government “is the largest purchaser of light bulbs in the world,” Upton said Wednesday on the House floor, so it makes sense that it lead by example.
“By requiring that only Energy Star light bulbs are purchased, beginning Oct. 1, in fact, we know that we will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars this next year in terms of energy savings,” Upton said.
Energy Star is a joint certification program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy. Though they cost more up front, Energy Star bulbs use 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer, saving $30 or more over the life of the bulb.
The Pentagon alone has 16,250 light fixtures.
The light bulb amendment, Harman said, “adds teeth” to existing federal law by mandating that no federal funds shall be expended unless for Energy Star bulbs.
“It takes about 18 seconds to change a light bulb,” Harman said. “In 18 seconds, each of us can change our energy future by changing that light bulb to one of these Energy Star or energy-efficient light bulbs.”
