Students to use energy-efficient light bulbs

CC’s energy conservation efforts are evident in this display in "Cro," the student center.

What a difference a light bulb can make.

If all goes according to plan, more than three quarters of the student body will be using at least one energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) by the end of the month. When all 1,745 resident students are using a CFL in place of a standard incandescent bulb, CC will save nearly $6,400 in energy costs in one year and emit less carbon.

The student-run Renewable Energy Club and the Goodwin-Niering Center for Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies (CCBES) purchased 1,000 bulbs for initial distribution. Those efforts will be supplemented by a light bulb exchange through Students Against Violence to the Environment. Savings are based on an estimated four hours use per day per academic year.

CFLs use about 70 percent less energy than a standard bulb and last up to 10 times longer.

Energy club members, led by Randy Jones ’06, Sara Jayanthi ’07 and the environmental representatives of each student residence, are going door to door, inviting students to exchange their incandescent bulbs for the CFLs.

Along with this effort, the club has purchased 10 vending misers, devices that can be installed on vending machines to power them down when not in use. Seven have so far been installed. The miser can cut the amount of electricity each machine uses in electricity in half.

“They put the machines in sleep mode,” said Amy Cabaniss, CCBES environmental coordinator, “shutting off the lights but keeping the drinks cold.” The misers work best in areas that are least often used.

“We also will get a refund from Connecticut Light & Power for using the devices,” she said, “which will allow us to reinvest in more misers.” Each miser costs the club $75.