A 'green' initiative launched yesterday by an environmental organisation and local companies is being touted for its cost- and energy-saving properties.

Belco and HWP made a joint donation of $30,000 to Greenrock, with the funds earmarked for an island-wide educational campaign on the advantages of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) over incandescent bulbs.

The grant will go specifically towards a free light bulb exchange and public service announcements highlighting how money and energy can be saved, by using CFLs.

"There are many benefits associated with CFLs and we want to encourage more people to see for themselves what a tremendous difference these light bulbs can make," said Tom Nelmes, vice-president of HWP's Electrical Division, which includes Home Zone.

"CFLs last ten to 20 times longer than a regular light bulb, they use 75 per cent less energy, and they produce much less heat than an incandescent bulb. All of this means cost and energy savings for consumers."

Newly-elected Greenrock president Andrew Vaucrosson said his organisation was delighted that Belco and HWP considered the initiative worthy of support. "It was something the management committee had discussed," he said.

"We recognised one of our biggest challenges is to make people more cognisant of energy consumption. The only way you're going to really start helping people become more conscious of that, is to show how you can help them save.

"We understood the CFL concept and how it saves money and thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if we could do some kind of exchange where we actually give away CFLs and actually get people to convert from regular light bulbs to CFLs'?

"We are grateful for the donation and the commitment of Belco and HWP to this project. Our goal of this project is to educate, motivate, and convince the general public on how CFLs can save money by saving energy."

New technologies have made our lives easier but increased energy use ¿ a point Mr. Vaucrosson highlighted against Belco's admission that its current plant will be unable to meet the island's energy needs come 2011.

"And that's why there has to be a push towards doing some things," he stated. "This, hopefully, might be able to minimise our consumption. In some small form, it may have some kind of impact and it opens the door to other ways Bermuda can start looking at minimising energy consumption.

"But the real goal here, the big issue, is that in 2011 Belco's got an energy requirement that right now, they've already admitted, they're not going to be able to meet. And the rule of thought is if you can show a person something that's going to save them money, that's going to affect their wallet, they might take it onboard.

"A key aspect of this project is the series of bulb swaps which will take place in February where people can switch up to two of their regular light bulbs for two CFL light bulbs, for free. Plus, an online survey at www.greenrock.org, will exist to help participants measure the cost and energy savings of CFLs in Bermuda. And when you participate in this survey, you will receive coupons for additional CFLs and a chance to win a stainless steel, energy efficient microwave."

Belco and HWP ¿ Bermuda's official distributor of GE bulbs ¿ offered to partner with Greenrock in the campaign's infancy.

According to Mr. Vaucrosson, HWP representative Emily Ranson tied the three together.

"I was meeting with her on another issue involving another group that she represents and started talking about what we were hoping to do. She said, 'I work with HWP and the GE folk are going to be in town (for meetings with them). You should talk to them about it'. And that's kind of what made it happen really quickly."

GE offered to supply bulbs in a variety of wattages. Once approached, Belco was quick to offer support.

"Energy conservation is doing without, while energy efficiency means using less while receiving the same overall benefit," said Linda Smith, senior vice-president of Corporate Relations at Belco.

"Given that lighting accounts for more than 20 per cent of the average home's electricity bill, using CFLs is an easy way to improve energy efficiency and reduce cost. One of the best features of the CFL is also that it lasts longer."

Contract sales consultant for HWP, John Musson, stressed that the success of the campaign depends on how well the information is disseminated to the public.

"The education component is key to this whole promotion," he said. "Particularly, why a CFL is more expensive when compared with an incandescent bulb. People are going to be ask, 'How am I saving money if it's three times the cost'? Well, it's necessary for it to be three times the cost because it's three times the technology ¿ howeve,r it lasts seven times as long and in the meantime saves you energy as well. Incandescents can be replaced three times a year, in some homes.

"So people might look on the shelf and wonder why they should spend $10 on a bulb but the fact of the matter is they're not going to have to buy another one for seven years."

The more people get involved, the better for the future of the island, Mr. Vaucrosson added.

"Ultimately the goal here is to get people to realise they can make an impact on their own energy consumption by using these bulbs. And we hope that, as an organisation, we can encourage other companies to really ¿ as I would say ¿ put some skin in the game. It's one thing to say, 'Let's save energy', but another thing to go and do something about it.

"So you'll see some other initiatives down the road where other companies like HWP and Belco come forward and do something that is hopefully going to help benefit. At the very least, it's going to help future generations if we all start taking this into practice."

The bulb swaps will take place at the following locations:

Par-la-Ville Park (outside Perot's Post Office) on Friday, February 8 between noon and 2 p.m.

Warwick Post Office on Saturday, February 9, between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Victoria and Union parking lot (across from People's Pharmacy) on Friday, February 22 between noon and 2 p.m.

City Market at Bull's Head, on Saturday, February 23 between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Handouts will be disseminated containing important information on CFLs ¿ including pricing, energy savings, waste disposal and best applications in the home ¿ at that time.