Stanford to Give Away 7,000 CFLs to Students and Staff

By StopGlobalWarming.org (StopGlobalWarming.org) - January 4, 2007

This semester Stanford students will be part of the largest energy conservation program of its kind at an American university. Student Housing, the Office of Residential Education and Students for a Sustainable Stanford, in cooperation with the Sierra Club and Resource Solutions Group, will distribute 7,000 compact fluorescent lamps to student residents and staff. Stanford’s campus housing already uses CFLs in ceiling lights and hallways, but the CFL giveaway will encourage students to use the energy-efficient bulbs in their personal desk lamps as well. “If every Stanford student were to replace a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 13-watt CFL,” says Nik Kaestner, Student Housing’s sustainability and utilities coordinator, “annual savings would amount to 450,000 kilowatts of electricity; 220,000 pounds of carbon emissions; and $50,000 in utility costs.” Students for a Sustainable Stanford — a volunteer environmental organization on campus — will verify that the free CFLs are installed. The first residence hall to demonstrate 100% freshman participation will receive an ice cream party, courtesy of Student Housing.