"Junior Energy" Changes the Nation's Light Bulbs

Light bulbs have long symbolized bright ideas. Not long ago, a light bulb went on for a New Jersey boy: what if he and his classmates – and students nationwide – replaced incandescent bulbs in their homes with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)? He thought they could make a big difference as individuals, and an even bigger difference together. The non-profit Junior Energy was the result, and is now working in schools to help kids discover how they can have a positive impact on the planet by engaging family, friends, and neighbors in small, simple actions.

The Junior Energy website is kid-friendly, with an interactive calculator that shows the energy and financial savings that can be achieved by replacing regular bulbs with CFLs. There are also resources for teachers to integrate these issues into math, science and critical analysis lessons.

Need more encouragement to switch to CFLs? Up to 25 percent of home electric bills is for lighting. Incandescent bulbs are ridiculously inefficient, converting up to 90 percent of the electricity they consume into heat. That’s so 19th Century! Some CFLs are four times as efficient as incandescent bulbs, and last up to ten times longer.

Take a look and change your bulbs! Junior Energy