CFL Gift Helps Members Save Money, Energy And Meet REPS Goal (Left over CFLs will be given to those coming by a Blue Ridge office to join Operation Round Up)
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; Pager: 1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
LENOIR, North Carolina (June 17, 2008) – To encourage energy efficiency, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation gave registered members two 20-watt compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in a tote bag as their gift to members registering Saturday for the Annual Membership Meeting.
The distribution of CFLs is part of the cooperative’s strategy to help members become wiser energy users and work together with the cooperative to help meet energy efficiency goals in the state’s recently passed Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS). Blue Ridge Electric is now developing comprehensive plans to achieve the goal of having 10 percent of our energy needs met through renewable energy resources or energy efficiency measures by 2018.
Distributed Saturday were two CFLs to each of the 964 registered members. Since CFLs use 75 percent less electricity than traditional light bulbs and last 13 times longer, the annual meeting CFL distribution effort represents about a $112 savings per member over the life of the CFLs for a total of $107,968 overall savings for the effort. The estimates are based on the CFLs being used for at least 3 hours daily.
Blue Ridge officials estimate there are 2.8 million incandescent light bulbs being used in the cooperative’s service area. “Replacing those with CFLs is a simple, cost effective way to save energy and money and at the same time, help work towards meeting the REPS goals,” said Brian Crutchfield, director of economic development.
Blue Ridge Electric had approximately 500 CFLs left over after the annual meeting distribution. To maximize the good will of the effort, Blue Ridge is offering to provide two CFLs to any member who comes into a district office and joins Operation Round Up during the next two weeks. Operation Round Up is a voluntary, member supported donation program that rounds up member’s bills to the next dollar amount. The donation of these extra few cents per month goes to the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation which provides not only heating assistance to deserving members but also funds grants to local services and programs that add to the qualify of life in the Blue Ridge Electric service area. Members of Blue Ridge Electric review grant applications and determine how the funds will be used to best benefit our local communities.
To receive the CFLs for joining Operation Round Up, members must come by a district office.
Blue Ridge Electric is a member owned electric cooperative providing energy to some 73,000 consumers in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Alexander and Avery counties.
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