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COA, Chamber Launch Energy Effort PDF Print E-mail
Business members invited to exchange incandescent bulbs for energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs
Atlantic Oakes
 
n a move to reduce the carbon emissions contributed by Bar Harbor businesses, College of the Atlantic has joined with the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce to offer - free to chamber members - energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. To participate in this Green Light Bar Harbor program, businesses need only bring their incandescent light bulbs to the chamber office in Trenton or to special events in Bar Harbor and sign an agreement to use the cfl bulbs. In exchange, COA will provide each business with up to 25 free light bulbs.

 

The Green Light Bar Harbor program begins Feb. 20 at the chamber's "Eggs and Issues" breakfast forum from 7:30 to 9 a.m., to be held at the Atlantic Oakes. Every attendee at that breakfast will receive one cfl bulb, without needing to exchange it for an incandescent bulb.

College of the Atlantic is committed to doing everything it can to reduce global warming. In December, the college became fully carbon neutral by reducing and avoiding those greenhouse gas emissions it could, and by offsetting additional emissions. At that time, the college also began exploring ways of encouraging members of the local community to reduce their carbon footprint. The college has already begun working with members of the higher education community, by signing onto the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

"Everyone of us is part of the global warming problem; everyone of us can choose to be part of the solution," say Hales. "At College of the Atlantic, we're also trying to help others be part of the solution."

"The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce is very excited to enter into this partnership with the College of the Atlantic," adds Chris Fogg, the chamber's executive director. "The Green Light Bar Harbor program not only helps reduce the impact on the environment, but also helps reduce energy costs which will have a real impact our businesses bottom lines."

The cfl bulbs that the college and chamber are distributing are good for 10,000 hours of use and would cost more than $3 a piece on the open market, says Craig Ten Broeck, COA's consulting advisor for sustainability. More important, the cfl bulbs use less energy and can last as much as 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Replacing three 100-watt incandescent bulbs with cfl bulbs can reduce carbon emissions by a ton over their lifespan.
 
The Green Light Bar Harbor program asks businesses to sign an agreement to use the bulbs; meanwhile the college will collect information on the extent of greenhouse gas reductions accomplished by the bulb exchange program. To further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the college is also offering information on how businesses can entirely switch to renewable electricity generated in Maine.
For more information on the Green Light Bar Harbor program, or to register for the Feb. 20 "Eggs and Issues" breakfast, contact Sharon Malm, events coordinator at the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce at 288-5103. The cost to attend the breakfast is $12 for Chamber members and $15 for non-members.
 
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