Clarkson University Students Launch Energy-Saving Initiative

Sept. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Potsdam, NY – On Saturday, Sept. 17, Clarkson University students will provide 1,000 Potsdam households with free, energy-saving Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and an innovative smartphone app, Light Bulb Finder, to help residents save energy and the environment.

The students will go door-to-door handing out free Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and information on the free mobile app, Light Bulb Finder, to help residents calculate their home’s savings potential and to find additional energy-efficient bulbs with the right light quality, fit and performance. The app is available as a free download on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Android devices.

Based on a few simple inputs about fixtures and incandescent bulb styles, the Light Bulb Finder app provides instant recommendations for energy-saving equivalents. Users can view financial payback information and purchase bulbs through the app or at local stores.

Clarkson Sustainable Synergy estimates that if just 1,000 incandescent light bulbs are replaced with CFLs, they would save 450,000 kilowatt-hours over their lifetime, reduce CO2 emissions by 690,000 pounds, and save the community over $60,000 dollars on electricity. Clarkson Sustainable Synergy is a student-run club whose mission is educating and improving energy usage on campus and in the community.

“Synergy saw this as a fantastic opportunity to reach out to the community. We want the residents of Potsdam to realize that we are looking to be part of the village, part of the town. Just because most students are only here for four years doesn’t mean we have to sit on the sidelines.  This is our way of giving back, getting involved, and sharing Synergy’s mission with our neighbors,” said Mark Bayer, president of Synergy - Clarkson University.

Funding for the CFL give-away was raised through donations from local businesses, fundraisers, and the Clarkson University Student Association, and bulbs were purchased through Clarkson facilities at cost.

The Light Bulb Finder mobile app is being provided by Eco Hatchery, a sustainability services and software firm specializing in residential energy efficiency. For more information on the app, visit: www.ligthbulbfinder.net

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Eco Hatchery is a sustainability services and software firm specializing in residential energy efficiency. The flagship mobile app, Light Bulb Finder, empowers users to instantly calculate their savings potential and find energy-efficient light bulbs with the right fit, light quality and performance. The app is available as a free download on iOS and Android.