Avenue Magazine (Calgary, AB): Shine a Light
If every household in Canada replaced one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), it would be equivalent to taking 66,000 cars off the streets, according to energy star statistics. This smart and simple swap was the bright idea behind Project Porchlight's mission to light up Calgary with free eco-friendly bulbs. Between October 2008 and January 2009, the not-for-profit organization's army of volunteers went door-to-door handing out 190,000 CFLs to Calgary homeowners.
On average, CFLs are 75 percent more efficient than incandescent bulbs and also shave approximately $50 off electricity bills over their five-to-seven-year lifespan.
Project Porchlight is an initiative of One Change, an Ottawa-based grassroots organization that promotes energy efficiency. More than 500 communities across Canada and the U.S participated. Calgary's campaign was sponsored by the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary and EnCana. (1-866-585-6359, projectporchlight.com)
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