A Million Lights in our local initiative to change a million standard, incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lights in Kansas City.

Rebate for lights

Kansas City Power & Light is offering a $2 rebate per qualified ENERGY STAR® light purchased at Missouri locations of Ace Hardware and HyVee grocery stores. More

Kansas City is the first city in the nation to proclaim a goal of A Million Lights in the national ENERGY STAR® campaign to help consumers save money and keep air cleaner by switching out old light bulbs.

“In our region, switching a million lights will save citizens more than $20 million in energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 440 million pounds,” Mayor Kay Barnes said. “For example, because a 60-watt equivalent compact fluorescent light consumes less energy and lasts 10 times longer, $30 can be saved in energy costs over the lifetime of the bulb.”

Why make the switch? Compact fluorescent lights:

• Generate the same amount of light as standard incandescent light bulbs while using less than 1/3 as much energy
• Last up to ten times longer than a standard light bulb
• Replacement for a 60 watt standard bulb will save approximately $30 in energy costs and eliminate 440 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions
• Generate 70 percent less heat to produce same amount of light as standard bulbs
• Are safer to operate and help cut energy costs associated with home cooling

The City will be an active participant in the campaign to change “A Million Lights” by identifying standard incandescent light bulbs in City buildings and changing them to compact fluorescent lights. As a part of the City’s energy conservation projects at Bartle Hall, the City Hall complex, and the Kansas City International Airport 2,500 compact fluorescent lights have already been installed.

Plans are in place to inventory the standard incandescent light bulbs in other City buildings and change them to compact fluorescent lights. The City’s 4,800 employees were asked to switch at least one light at home for each of their family members.

Several local partners also are acting to help with the campaign, including:

• Kansas City Power & Light is offering a $2 rebate per qualified ENERGY STAR® light purchased at Missouri locations of Ace Hardware and HyVee grocery stores. Rebates are given at the register for up to six ENERGY STAR® lights per family through the end of 2006.
  
• The University of Missouri – Kansas City plans to install 2,060 compact fluorescent lights at its campus. The effort will start in 2007.
  
• Burns & McDonnell will encourage its 1,800 metro-area employees to switch at least three lights by the end of the year. The company also will donate 2,000 bulbs to the City's Neighborhood Improvement Program for distribution to lower income families.
  
• The Power Partners (the National Electrical Contractors Association Kansas City Chapter and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 124) will donate 10,000 compact fluorescent lights for lower income families and elderly fixed-income households in Kansas City to help them save money and participate in “A Million Lights.”

More information or contact Dennis Murphey at (816) 513-3459.