City of Salem to begin “CFL Swap” program:

Residents can exchange incandescent bulbs for energy and money-saving Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs on Monday and Thursday afternoons during the month of January

The City of Salem is launching a “CFL Swap” program to encourage residents to exchange their old, inefficient incandescent bulbs for energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL).   Efficient lighting decreases utility costs and reduces environmental impact. For each incandescent bulb that is exchanged for a CFL, a consumer can save an average of $8 - $11 a year in electric costs. CFLs also have a much longer service life than incandescents, greatly reducing bulb replacement frequency.

Beginning on January 5th, residents can exchange their bulbs from 1 – 4 PM on Monday afternoons, or 4 – 7 PM on Thursdays at the Salem Department of Planning and Community Development on the third floor of City Hall Annex at 120 Washington Street.
Residents are eligible to exchange up to six incandescent bulbs of any wattage for any combination of 60, 75 or 100 watt CFL equivalents (outdoor lighting not included). Participants must bring in an equal number of old incandescent bulbs to exchange for the new ones.
The program will run throughout the month of January.   A limited quantity of bulbs is available and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.  Participants are encouraged to call ahead to ensure product availability.

The CFL Swap program will also include door-to-door bulb exchanges beginning in January 2012 in a few Salem neighborhoods selected at random. The program is one element of a more comprehensive home energy and water conservation program that includes conservation workshops for residents and home energy auditing and efficiency retrofit services.   Details of those programs will be announced at a later date.

Under a new federal law set to begin taking effect in 2012, inefficient lighting technologies, like conventional incandescent bulbs, will be phased out in favor of more efficient technologies (like halogen and LED, in addition to CFLs). The law is designed to improve energy efficiency while reducing the nation’s carbon emissions. Conventional 100 watt incandescent bulbs will be no longer be supplied in consumer retail channels beginning this year, while conventional 75 watt bulbs will be phased out in 2013, and 60 and 40 watt in 2014. Through the swap program, Salem residents can get a head start on replacing their incandescent bulbs and begin saving energy and money right away, while taking an immediate step to reduce their carbon footprint.

For more information, contact Paul Marquis, City of Salem Energy and Sustainability Manager, at pmarquis@salem.com, or the Department of Planning and Community Development at 978-619-5685.