Recently the House Chief Administrative Officer, Dan Beard, appeared on the radio show Living on Earth hosted by Steve Curwood. Living on Earth is a weekly environmental news and information program distributed by Public Radio International.

The interviewed was focused around the U.S. House of Representatives’ goal to be carbon neutral and serve as a model for sustainability by the end of 2008. Beard believes that they will make it several months in advance of their December deadline.

The U.S. House of Representative is also striving to reduce their energy consumption by 50 percent over the next ten years. They have already achieved a reduction of 6 percent this year.

So how are they achieving these lofty goals? Compact fluorescent light bulbs! They are replacing 30,000 light bulbs, resulting in savings of $120,000 per year in electricity costs.

For the full transcript of the interview visit:

http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=08-P13-00025&segmentID=8

For additional information visit:

http://www.loe.org

http://cao.house.gov/press/efficiencynews-200805.shtml

To promote Energy Conservation Week in Canada (May 26^th - May 31^st)  North Bay Hydro, a electricity provider of North Bay, Ontario who’s committed to promoting responsible energy consumption and environmental management presented a challenge to local 6^th graders.

The Great Light Bulb Exchange encouraged the students to act as ambassadors for conservation by encouraging their families and friends to replace old fashioned incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights.

The result were amazing!

Because of their great efforts the sixth graders at St. Alexander School each won an iPod Shuffle, courtesy of North Bay Hydro, for collecting the most incandescents out of all the schools, an impressive 1,023 bulbs.

The participating classes collected a total of 2,597 inefficient incandescent bulbs during the weeklong contest. The collection of 2,597 incandescent light bulbs translates into a savings of 57,965 kwh’s of energy, the equivalent of powering 57 average homes for one month.

Way to go guys!