My GE Energy Efficient Lighting service project #GELightingCFK

Over the past several years, my husband and I have slowly replaced all of the light bulbs in our house with energy efficient lighting. Every time we went to Walmart, Target or Home Depot we would pick up one pack of cfl light bulbs. That way, we didn’t have to shell out a huge amount of money at one time. Switching to energy efficient lighting  is great for the environment but is also a great financial choice as well. Just think of what you could do with a few extra dollars….especially at Christmas! It isn’t just individual families that benefit from switching to energy efficient lighting. Businesses could really save a lot of money if they would consider making the switch. This month, GE and Champion for Kids have partnered together to encourage people to make a donation of energy efficient light bulbs and other needed items to local organizations that help children.

 

As part of the Social Fabric community I was lucky to be chosen to participate in this service project and spent some time putting together a nice selection of GE light bulbs and craft supplies for the preschool that my children went to. I spent 4 years teaching at this preschool when my children were young and we relied heavily on donations from parents, church members and the community. Without those donations, we wouldn’t have had anywhere near as many fun projects to do with the kids. It seems like so long ago that my children were this age! Wasn’t my daughter the cutest thing at 2? They grow up way too fast!

 

This preschool is part of The First United Methodist Church and they have really expanded quite a bit over the last 5 years. In response to the community’s needs they moved from a half day program to a full day that includes before and after care. So many people in the neighboring communities were struggling financially and had to have 2 full time working parents so the half day program was really struggling. Now that they can offer full time childcare they have a lot more kids but they also have a lot more NEEDS! I hope the donation I made today of energy efficient light bulbs and craft supplies comes in handy. By saving more on electricity they will be able to put more money into children’s programs.

When I went to the preschool to visit I was surprised at how much it has grown! I had to be buzzed into the building for security reasons and spent some time chatting with the front desk administrators about why I was there. They were very happy to hear that GE and Champions for Kids are working together to encourage people to support their local community child service providers. The were very grateful for the donations that I provided and assured me that they would be put to good use. Along with my donation of GE light bulbs and craft supplies I also included a coupon that GE had sent for $20.00 worth of free GE lighting products. I asked that they use the coupon to Pay It Forward to another service organization that they thought could use a helping hand. After explaining how much money they could save by switching to energy efficient light bulbs, they agreed that it was definitely a smart choice! If you are interested in learning how much money YOU can save by making the switch to energy efficient lighting, check out the GE savings calculator or just take a glance at the chart below:

 

GE and Champions for Kids would like to encourage you to participate in your own service project. By supplying a local organization with energy efficient light bulbs you are making a donation that will actually help them save money in the years to come. Every dollar that your light bulb donation helps them save on energy costs will go back into the organization’s true mission!

If you want more information about how to host your own Simple Service Project, check out Champion’s for Kids on Facebook and Twitter.

GE Energy Efficient Lighting

Remember, switching to GE energy efficient bulbs is a great choice both environmentally AND finfinancially. The government and utility companies both want consumers to use less energy, and one way they hope to convince people to make the switch is by offering incentives like rebates to purchase more energy-efficient products. Here are a few tips on how to find these rebates!

1. Check with your utility company. Visit their website and search for a listing of available rebates. If you can’t find information online, call the customer service number listed on your last bill.

2. Research government rebates. Government programs like the ENERGY STAR rebate locator let you enter your zip code and type of appliance.

3. Search the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) website for residential rebates and incentives in your state.

4. Look for in-store promotions.  Ask a store employee if you don’t see any…they might have seen them and can point you in the right direction!

5. Visit manufacturer websites. Some appliance manufacturers make it easy to locate rebates through easy-to-use online search functions. The GE Appliances’ Rebate Finder lets you enter your zip code and the appliance you’re shopping for to view a list of rebates and immediately download rebate applications.

If you would like to include some GE energy efficient bulbs in your next shopping trip you can print out the GE Lighting Coupon

 

 

Disclaimer: As part of my partnership with GE, I received coupons for my GE light bulbs. All opinions posted about my GE energy efficient lighting experience are my own.” “I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ Champions for Kids and GE Lighting #CBias #SocialFabric