Fairchild celebrates Earth Day with energy savings project Published April 23, 2009 FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- All 64 major Air Force Bases across the country have signed up for a National campaign known as Operation Change Out. It's a joint effort between the U. S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy. Fairchild Air Force Base has changed out 2,294 inefficient, incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. This effort will save 646,908 kilowatt hours of electricity, $68,572 on energy bills, and prevent 1,632,300 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, over the lifetime of the bulbs. A simple thing like replacing an incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent or turning off a light when it isn't needed can save plenty. Last year Fairchild Air Force Base spent $ 6,823,857 on facility energy. Individual effort can really make a big difference. In the past year, beginning with Earth Day 2008, the Air Force has changed out 228,000 bulbs. This will save millions pounds of greenhouse gases and enough energy to power 3,841 homes for a year. The Air Force will save $7.5 million over the lifetime of the bulbs. Energy Star qualified CFLs have many benefits: · CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. · Save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime. · Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling. · Are available in different sizes and shapes to fit in almost any fixture, for indoors and outdoors. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. The U.S. Department of Energy's overarching mission is to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States; to promote scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission; and to ensure the environmental cleanup of the National nuclear weapons complex.