Local residents will have a chance to save energy, money and the planet as Puget Sound Energy’s Rock the BulbTM: The Re-Energize Tour distributes 200,000 free, efficient light bulbs this summer. The campaign, which first toured the Puget Sound region in 2009, encourages PSE residential electric customers to switch from incandescent light bulbs to ENERGY STAR®-qualified, energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs and helps educate customers through engaging activities on easy ways to lower home energy use.
Residents taking part in Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour are expected to save nearly $10 million in energy costs over the lifetime of the bulbs, and help reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 4,200 cars off the road. PSE customers will also have the chance to win energy-efficient prizes from participating retailers and manufactures at Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour events.
“We know there are more PSE customers who are ready to save energy, money and the planet by switching to CFL bulbs,” said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services at PSE. “We’re excited to provide more opportunities for our customers and their families to learn how to make their homes more energy efficient.”
Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour will distribute 200,000 free CFL bulbs to PSE residential customers at eight weekend bulb-exchange events in July and August at local retailers, through outreach at local community events in the utility’s service area, and at local appearances by the PSE Bulb Mobile, which is new to the campaign this year.
The PSE Bulb Mobile is a mobile energy-efficiency education center run on biodiesel. The vehicle will make stops at a variety of community festivals and public locations, giving away one free CFL bulb per customer in advance of each Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour retail event to encourage customers to attend and exchange up to 10 of their old, inefficient incandescent bulbs for 10 free CFL bulbs.
PSE’s Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour weekend events will be held at the following locations Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
• Aug. 6-7 – Redmond – Fred Meyer, 17667 NE 76th St.
• Aug. 13-14 – Oak Harbor – Ace Hardware, 150 SE Pioneer Way
• Aug. 20-21 – Lacey – Fred Meyer, 700 Sleater Kinney Rd SE
• Aug. 27-28 – Burlington – Fred Meyer, 920 S Burlington Blvd
Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour follows PSE’s successful 2009 Rock the Bulb: Unplugged campaign, in which the utility switched out 500,000 incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient CFL bulbs over a period of four months. This summer, the 200,000 CFL bulbs PSE plans to distribute during the eight-week Rock the Bulb: The Re-energize Tour will result in overall savings of 46.2 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity when installed in customer homes and $9.4 million in energy-bill savings. The bulb exchange also will prevent more than 50.8 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions — the equivalent of taking more than 4,200 cars off the road.
ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. By replacing the 10 most frequently used lights in the home with CFL bulbs, households can save more than $450 in energy costs over the life of the bulbs.
There are several ways PSE customers can participate in the Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour:
• PSE’s Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour – Eight weekend energy efficiency fairs and light bulb exchange events at local retailers where PSE residential electric customers can exchange up to 10 incandescent bulbs for free CFL bulbs, choosing from among five different styles, have the chance to win energy-efficient prizes, and participate in engaging educational activities that show how to lower home energy use, save money and protect the environment.
• PSE Bulb Mobile – PSE residential electric customers can receive one free CFL bulb and learn more about energy efficiency when the PSE Bulb Mobile visits community events from mid-June through August prior to the bulb-exchange events at local retailers.
• Digitally follow the PSE Rock the Bulb: The Re-Energize Tour – Customers can find Bulb Mobile stops by visiting the campaign website at PSE.com/RocktheBulb or following updates on PSE’s Twitter or Facebook accounts at twitter.com/PSETalk or at Facebook.com/ReEnergize. Customers should use the hashtag #RocktheBulb.
• Community Outreach – PSE’s street team will be visiting community festivals, farmers’ markets and local retailers throughout the utility’s service area this summer distributing one free CFL bulb per customer along with information about upcoming bulb-exchange events.
