Entergy Louisiana and Governor Blanco Team Up for Change a Light Campaign

Louisiana Governor and Entergy Louisiana VP install energy-efficient bulbs in Governor’s Mansion.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Entergy Louisiana vice president for customer service and commercial and industrial accounts Steven Scheurich joined up to replace ordinary light bulbs in the Governor’s Mansion with energy efficient light bulbs on Wednesday as part of the Change a Light, Change the World campaign.

The Change a Light initiative supports a nationwide effort by the federal Energy Star program aimed at raising environmental awareness via the promotion of energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. The program parallels both Governor Blanco’s work to implement her environmental conservation agenda at the Governor’s Mansion and Entergy’s ongoing efforts to help customers manage energy costs more effectively.

“High energy costs affect all of us,” said Scheurich. “That is why Entergy is working hard to make a difference by generating power more efficiently and to help customers learn how to better manage energy use.”

“Changing a single light bulb may hardly seem like a significant environmentally conscious action, but the results can be quite impressive if we all do our part,” said Blanco. “By swapping bulbs at the Governor’s Mansion, the people’s house, we hope to show Louisiana citizens how they truly can help change the world by developing their own plan for conserving resources and protecting the environment. It all starts at home.”

The benefits of a collective effort are convincing. For example, changing 100,000 bulbs throughout Louisiana can save up to 46 million kWh of electricity over the life of the bulbs. At the same time, it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions comparable to removing 2,571 cars from the roadways and create the same effect as planting 3,656 acres of trees.

In addition, using energy-efficient light bulbs is an excellent way for Louisianans to manage energy costs more effectively and save money. Every light changed to an Energy Star qualified bulb uses a third of the energy of a standard incandescent light, lasts up to 10 times longer, and saves an average of $30 or more in energy costs over its lifetime.

The national Change a Light campaign educates customers on the benefits of energy-efficient lighting and points to an easy-to-use Web site – www.entergy.com/Ensight - where customers can make the Change a Light pledge.

Promotion of the national Change a Light campaign furthers Entergy’s environmental commitment. The company has already established itself as an environmental champion by being the nation’s first utility to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its generating plants. The company recently renewed this commitment, aiming for further reductions over the next five years.

“We can all make a difference if everyone does their part to use energy resources more efficiently,” said Scheurich.