ComEd asks customers to fight global warming one bulb at a time

Today ComEd announced its Take The Pledge Giveaway to encourage its customers to take the ENERGY STAR Pledge. Customers taking the pledge promise to replace at least one incandescent light bulb in their homes with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb to conserve energy, reduce costs, and help fight global warming.

To thank customers for taking the first step to save energy and help the environment, everyone who takes the pledge will be entered in ComEd's Take The Pledge Giveaway. Participants can win one of several prizes, including the Grand Prize — an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance selected with the help of the ComEd Energy Doctor.

In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's national "The Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Campaign," ComEd's effort is the latest in its 12 Ways to Green campaign. Taking the ENERGY STAR Pledge is one of the utility's Smart Ideas for Your Home, a portfolio of programs to help customers manage their energy consumption and make wise energy decisions. It is also a component of a comprehensive strategy to reduce, offset, or displace more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020 among ComEd's parent, Exelon, and its family of companies.

"In addition to ComEd's core obligation to deliver safe and reliable service to our 3.8 million customers, we are uniquely positioned to bring value to those communities, particularly when it comes to the environment," said Val Jensen, vice president, Marketing and Environmental programs, ComEd. "Together with our customers, the ENERGY STAR Pledge will help make a positive impact on global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ENERGY STAR qualified CFL bulbs use up to 75 percent less electricity than equivalent incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing one 60-watt incandescent bulb with a comparable CFL can save up to $44 over the lifetime of the bulb.

If every household took the pledge, Americans would save more than 110 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, more than $18 billion in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 18 million cars.

The Change the World, ENERGY STAR Pledge encourages Americans to take further action in saving energy and money by:

• Using a programmable thermostat to save energy while asleep or away from home.

• Enabling power management settings on the computer and monitor so it goes into "sleep mode" when away or not in use.

• Choosing ENERGY STAR qualified products for kitchen and laundry.

• Making sure one's home is well sealed and insulated, among other steps.

"Becoming part of the solution to global warming takes less time and effort than you might think. You can start by taking simple steps like changing a light or looking for the ENERGY STAR when you purchase new products," said Kathleen Hogan, director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division, EPA. "We are delighted to work with ComEd and others across the country who are helping in the fight against global warming. Together, we can all make a difference and protect our environment through simple everyday actions."

To make it easier for customers to fulfill their pledges, ComEd is offering special discounts on nearly 2 million CFL bulbs at retailers such as Ace Hardware, Costco, The Home Depot, Jewel-Osco, Lowe's, Menards, Sam's Club, and True Value, while supplies last. For more information and to take the pledge, visit http://www.comedsmartideas.com.