| The Paonia library’s CFL sales campaign was coordinated by (l to r) Don Hinson of the Paonia Library Board, Viva Kellogg from the Friends of the Library, and library staff member Myrna Westerman. |
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DMEA Receives Award for “Excellence In ENERGY STAR® Outreach”
Colorado Co-op’s “Brightening Our Communities” Campaign Helps Members Save Money, Reduces Pollution, and Raises Funds for Local Community Groups
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) with the “Excellence in ENERGY STAR Outreach 2006 Award” for the electric distribution cooperative’s outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through its “Brightening Our Communities” campaign promoting the purchase of energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs).
DMEA, a Touchstone Energy cooperative serving more than 25,000 members in Colorado’s Delta and Montrose counties, is being recognized at the ENERGY STAR awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 2006.
In a two week period coinciding with ENERGY STAR’s “Change a Light, Change the World” campaign, DMEA launched a “Brightening Our Communities with ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs” media campaign that supported the sales of CFLs by community groups in DMEA’s service territory. Participating non-profit groups raised $6,000 by selling 3,000 CFLs that together are expected to result in an annual 219,000 kWh savings and a lifetime reduction of nearly 700 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
"Partners such as DMEA are spreading the word about the importance of energy efficiency in all aspects of our lives,” said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA’s Climate Protection Partnerships Division. “They are doing an outstanding job of promoting products, services, homes and programs that help consumers save money and importantly, help protect our environment.”
"DMEA's ENERGY STAR award winning program is a great example of how electric cooperatives across the nation are working to help their member-owners save energy and money," said Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “We’re non-profit and have our consumers’ and communities’ best interests at heart.”
“Credit for this award goes to the participating non-profit groups in our service territory and to our members who bought Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) during this campaign,” said Paul Bony, DMEA’s Manager of Marketing and Member Services. “They understand that energy efficiency measures don’t cost, they pay.”
DMEA did not subsidize the cost of the Compact Fluorescent Bulbs sold in its campaign; in fact, CFL purchasers added a $2 donation to the non-profit group from which they bought the energy saving light bulbs.
“Because they use 70% less electricity than inefficient incandescent light bulbs to produce equivalent lighting, the CFLs more than pay for their higher initial cost plus the donation to the participating community group within a year based on only 3 hours a day of use,” explained Bony.
Don Hinson, a member of the Paonia Public Library Board, one of the 15 community groups that sold CFLs during DMEA’s campaign, summarized the program’s success:
“The folks who bought the bulbs will save energy and money, the library earned over $1,600 to put to our building project, and we’re improving the environment by reducing pollution. We appreciate DMEA’s giving us the opportunity to be a part of it.”
The 2006 ENERGY STAR award winners were selected from over 8,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program. Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR, Americans saved $12 billion on their energy bills and enough peak energy to power 28 million homes. Through those savings they avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 23 million vehicles.
“Promoting ENERGY STAR qualified products is one of the ways we hope to help our members reduce their overall home energy use by 25% by the year 2010,” noted Bony. “By choosing ENERGY STAR qualified products, the typical household can save up to $450 per year - while improving home comfort and helping the environment.”
DMEA plans to repeat the “Brightening Our Communities” campaign in the fall of 2006. For additional information contact Tom Polikalas, 970-240-1245, Public.relations@dmea.com, or Maria Vargas, 202-343-9451, vargas.maria@epa.gov