Manana Elementary School is inviting the public to bring in their incandescent light bulbs to the school on Thursday, December 16, from 7:30am to 12:30pm and they will exchange them for energy efficient CFL bulbs.
One-thousand CFL bulbs will be exchanged for FREE! as a part of the school's CFL Exchange program that will also serve as a school fundraiser.
MyPearlCity.com sat down recently with Bonnie Tokita from the Manana Elementary School PTO to learn more about the CFL Exchange Program:
How does the CFL Exchange program work?
People can bring in old-fashioned (incandescent) light bulbs and exchange them for energy efficient CFL bulbs. If they bring in 3 bulbs, they'll receive 3 CFL's. If they bring in 6, they'll get 6. There is no per person limit, but once we run out, we won't be able to get any more.
How will the school benefit from the CFL Exchange on Thursday?
If we exchange all 1000 CFL bulbs, the Blue Planet Foundation will give us $400. We are also doing this exchange because we are participating in HECO's Home Energy Challenge and are educating our students and their families about ways to conserve electricity. I like the idea of extending the exchange to the community. I would love to see Pearl City's usage drop after this CFL exchange!
Sponsors and partnerships, besides the Blue Planet Foundation and HECO that came together to fund and support the program?
The exchange program is administered by the Blue Planet Foundation, but the CFL's are paid for by Hawaii Energy, which is a ratepayer-funded conservation and efficiency program administered by R.W. BECK (an SAIC Company) under contract with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission serving the islands of Hawaii, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu.
The Manana PTO contacted Blue Planet and a representative came out and talked to our students about the importance of energy conservation and independence. Then we got the 1000 CFL's and now we are in charge of exchanging all 1000 of them.
Mahalo to Bonnie Tokita for her time and good luck with the CFL Exchange on Thursday!
