Blog Post - Illinois Environmental Council

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The Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund engages in education and outreach and provides a forum for environmentalists. The Illinois Environmental Council serves as the environmental communitys eyes, ears and voice in Springfield. The two organizations - collectively known as IEC - work together to ensure a more healthful environment for Illinois residents.

IEC promotes sound environmental laws and policies. We encourage decision makers in the private sector to go beyond minimum standards to establish new environmental best practices. We credit those who lead, innovate, and inspire others to follow their example.

Since its founding in 1975 by a group of dedicated grassroots environmentalists, IEC has sponsored issue advocacy campaigns and projects. This has allowed environmental organizations to pool their resources to create a higher profile for our issues in Springfield and Washington D.C. About 50 environmental and community organizations and 100 individuals from around the state are members of IEC today.

What's So Exciting About Replacing The 60W Light Bulb?

Aug 3, 2011 3:23 PM EDT

According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), in its press release last week, if every 60W light bulb in the U.S. was replaced with the winning bulb, the nation would save energy equal to $3.9 billion per year -and avoid 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions. This is no small statement.

Consider, for example, that a 2007 study published by Science Daily, that ranked coal plants in the U.S, reported that each of the top 5 coal burning plants in the U.S. reportedly emits about 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year. So replacing the 60W light bulb throughout the U.S. is like retiring one of our nation's largest coal plants? That's a lot of energy efficiency!

The winning light bulb uses semi-conductor technology to convert electricity into light, also known as light-emitting diode (LED) technology. The light bulb underwent independent and field testing for 18 months, in a wide-range of extreme conditions. The light bulb may be on the market as early as 2012. Already 31 utilities and their energy efficiency program partners from around the country stand ready to help with public outreach about this new innovation.

SOURCE illinois-environmental-council