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 December 26, 2006
Wal-Mart Announces Goal of Selling 100 Million Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
 Replace 2 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
The new bulbs will last longer and use less energy which means less pollution from power plants. Your household would save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If every household in the United States did it, we would save a trillion pounds of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere!

THE U.S. CONSUMES A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ENERGY EVERY MINUTE. HERE'S A BRIGHT IDEA - REPLACING JUST 1 INCANDESCENT LIGHTBULB WITH A COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMP WOULD SAVE THIS 500 POUND PILE OF COAL & OVER 1/2 TONNE OF CO2 EMISSIONS.
(Source National Geographic)

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced an ambitious campaign to sell 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) at its Wal-Mart and Sam's Club locations by the end of 2007. If achieved, this goal has the potential to save customers as much as $3 billion in electrical costs over the life of the CFLs. In addition to saving money for consumers, these innovative products conserve up to 75 percent more energy than traditional light bulbs and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"We have a fundamental belief that all families should have access to affordable, sustainable goods, and compact fluorescent lightbulbs are a great way for our customers to save money," Wal-Mart Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Sustainability Andy Ruben said. "The working families and small businesses that are our customers will not only save money when shopping with us, but also on their electric bills, all the while benefiting the environment."

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club have implemented a multi-dimensional plan to help sell the 100 million CFLs. The plan includes:
  • Interactive displays at 100 select Wal-Mart stores beginning January 2007, to help customers choose which CFLs best fit their needs.
  • Educational displays to allow customers to compare qualities and styles, and demonstrate the potential savings associated with each type of CFL.
  • Increased shelf space with prominent displays in the lighting aisles, as well as displays in unexpected places around Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Clubs.
  • Marketing promotions in print publications and on Wal-Mart TV and radio to give customers tips for transitioning to an energy-efficient home.
  • Associate education through Wal-Mart's internal newsletter, as well as a competition to encourage Wal-Mart and Sam's Club associates to generate CFL sales.
With nearly 20 percent of all home electric costs stemming from lighting alone, CFLs can have tremendous benefits. Converting one conventional 60W bulb to a 13W CFL can save: $30 in electric costs over its lifetime; 10 conventional bulbs from being produced, transported and discarded in a landfill; 220 lbs. of coal from being burned; and 450 lbs. of greenhouse gases from reaching the air. The average home has more than 30 compatible sockets, which means even more potential savings.

"We realize this is a lofty aspiration, but if we reach our goal of selling 100 million CFLs by the end of 2007, the results will be staggering," Ruben added. "Over the life of those bulbs, $3 billion can be saved in electrical costs and 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gases can be prevented from entering our atmosphere. This change is comparable to taking 700,000 cars off the road, or powering 450,000 single-family homes."