Entergy Encourages Customers to Change a Light, Change the World
Wednesday, Oct 3, 2007
For Immediate Release
October 3, 2007
Contact: James Thompson
501-377-3545
Secretary of State’s Office Supports Effort to Switch to
energy-efficient light bulbs.
(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) -During October, Entergy Arkansas is asking customers to take a pledge and change just one standard light bulb in their homes to an energy-efficient bulb.
Secretary of State Charlie Daniels is kicking off the state-wide campaign to encourage all Arkansans to switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. Secretary Daniels estimates that the State Capitol has already switched 85 percent of its bulbs to the compact fluorescent bulbs.
“I’m proud of the measures we’ve already taken to be more energy-efficient in the State Capitol,” said Secretary Daniels. “Later this month, we will be replacing the standard incandescent bulbs in our rotunda chandelier with high efficiency LED bulbs. Energy conservation benefits both the environment and our pocketbooks, and I will continue to utilize all available energy-efficient options in the State Capitol.
” Entergy’s Change a Light, Change the World initiative supports a nationwide effort by the federal Energy Star program aimed at raising environmental awareness via the promotion of energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. The program parallels the company’s ongoing efforts to help customers manage energy costs more effectively and adopt more responsible environmental practices.
“High energy costs and harmful environmental practices affect all of us,” said James Jones, Entergy Arkansas regional Customer Service Manager. “That is why Entergy is working hard to generate power more efficiently and to help customers learn how to better manage energy use.
“Most people don’t realize that the average home pollutes more than the average car,” he said. “Taking the Change a Light pledge is an important first step toward helping conserve our nation’s energy resources and reducing energy costs. This is a win-win situation for customers and for the environment.”
The Change a Light campaign educates customers on the benefits of energy-efficient lighting and points to an easy-to-use Web site –
www.entergy.com/Ensight - where customers can make the Change a Light pledge.
“Changing a single light bulb may hardly seem like a significant environmentally conscious action, but the results can be quite impressive if we all do our part,” said Jones. “Our goal is to help our customers realize how they truly can help change the world by taking this pledge and developing their own plan for conserving resources and protecting the environment.”
The benefits of a collective effort are convincing. For example, changing 100,000 bulbs can save up to 46 million kWh of electricity over the life of the bulbs – enough to power 21,000 homes for one year. At the same time, it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions comparable to removing 2,571 cars from the roadways and create the same effect as planting 3,656 acres of trees.
In addition, using energy-efficient light bulbs is an excellent way for Entergy customers to manage energy costs more effectively and save money. Every light changed to an Energy Star qualified bulb uses a third of the energy of a standard incandescent light, lasts up to 10 times longer, and saves an average of $30 or more in energy costs over its lifetime.
Promotion of the national Change a Light campaign furthers Entergy’s environmental commitment. The company has already established itself as an environmental champion by being the nation’s first utility to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its generating plants. The company recently renewed this commitment, aiming for further reductions over the next five years. In addition, legislative efforts on behalf of Entergy are encouraging sweeping policy changes on emissions.
“We can all produce benefits for the environment if everyone does their part to use energy resources more efficiently,” said Jones. “That’s why Entergy is working hard to show our customers how they can partner with us to make a difference.
Entergy Arkansas provides electricity to 680,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second –largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of over $10 billion and approximately 14,000 employees.
More energy-conserving ideas can be found at
www.entergy-Arkansas.com
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Contact: Natasha Naragon
Phone: (501) 683-1441
Email: natasha.naragon@sos.arkansas.gov
Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels
256 State Capitol Building
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone: (501) 682-1010
Website: www.sos.ar.gov
Email: arsos@sos.ar.gov
