Free Low-Energy Bulbs in Caroline – FingerLakes1.com Archive

Over 100 volunteers will deliver oneenergy-saving compact-fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) to all 1,400 homesin the Town of Caroline on Saturday. A project of Energy IndependentCaroline, “Lighten Up Caroline!” could collectively save residents$70,000 in energy bills and reduce carbon emissions by over 800,000pounds.”The bags are packed and volunteers are ready,” said Emily Freund, aCornell junior and co-leader of the project. “Everyone we’ve talked tois so excited about Saturday and says ‘it’s such a bright idea.'”A range of transportation methods will get the lightbulbs to ruralCaroline homes. Students from Ithaca College and Cornell Universitywill join local residents to deliver the lightbulbs entirely by foot,bicycle, carpool, and even by horse.”We’re showing how a small, rural town can take halting climate changeinto our own hands. It’s is up to us. Our international leaders andnational leaders are not moving fast enough to protect our future,”said Dominic Frongillo, a Caroline Town Board member, leader of EnergyIndependent Caroline. Frongillo was also a youth delegate to theUnited Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali in December.The event is Central New York’s largest door-to-door distribution ofenergy saving lightbulbs in history.”Energy conservation is the key to energy independence,” said DonBarber, Caroline Town Supervisor and first chair of Tompkins CountyCouncil of Governments. “The event has the potential to create publicawareness in our community about how we can conserve. Cutting carbonemissions by over 800,000 pounds is a huge impact for our rural town,”he added.Snug Planet and Performance Systems Contracting from Ithaca areproviding over $900 in products and services to raffle off toresidents who return surveys contained in the bags.Energy Independent Caroline is a town advisory committee working todeclare energy independence in their community in Tompkins County.”Lighten Up Caroline!” is sponsored in part by Cornell University’sCommunity Partnership Board and Cornell Cooperative Extension ofTompkins County. SewGreen of Ithaca is providing over 1,000 hand madereusable bags made entirely from reused materials.