Victorian communities say it’s time to Ban the Bulb

Energy-hungry light bulbs are feeling the heat, following today’s launch of Bendigo Bank’s Ban the Bulb campaign, run in partnership with AGL Energy, Australia’s largest integrated renewable energy company.

The campaign offers Victorian home and business owners the opportunity to replace their incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving ones, installed free of charge by local community volunteer groups.

This year’s campaign will be rolled out to more than 50 communities across Victoria, with 300,000 globes set to be exchanged in more than 17,500 homes and 2,500 businesses.   The initiative will save about 150,000 tonnes in carbon emissions - the equivalent of taking 35,000 cars off our roads for a year.

Ban the Bulb is supported and funded by Bendigo Bank’s Generation Green™ program in partnership with AGL Energy, Low Energy Supplies and Services, Carbon Down, VECCI and the Victorian Government’s Sustainability Fund.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Managing Director, Mike Hirst, said under the initiative, staff from Bendigo Bank branches will work local community volunteer groups to implement the bulb exchange.

“Home and business owners sign up at one of our participating branches to get the light bulbs in their homes and work places changed to energy efficient ones at no cost to them.

“The volunteers then visit the property and change the bulbs and for each one exchanged the community group is paid $2.

“It’s expected this year’s campaign will raise up to $600,000 for the participating groups, money that will be used to support projects and programs in their local communities,” Mr Hirst said.

Graeme Poulton State Emergency Service Regional Manager for the North West Region said the volunteers are pleased to be involved and eager to start changing bulbs.

“Everyone is a winner with Ban the Bulb-home and business owners save money, community groups like the SES and in turn local people are rewarded and of course the environment benefits,” Mr Poulton said.

AGL Energy’s General Manager of Marketing, David Hamilton, applauded the community groups that are helping to install energy-saving bulbs and said AGL Energy is fully committed to helping Victorian communities receive the financial and environmental benefits of this offer.

“Households that take up this offer will have the ability to use energy more efficiently and save money.

“In fact we expect that the average household in northern Victoria that has 14 energy efficient light bulbs installed can save up to $112 every year.

“AGL Energy is taking action toward creating a sustainable energy future for our communities and customers and this program is an excellent example of this,” he said.

Mr Hirst said Ban the Bulb is another way the bank is working to build better and more sustainable communities.

“Sustainability is a key factor contributing to the health and success of a community.

“Through our branches, staff and partnerships we are committed to ensuring the communities we are involved in achieve environmental sustainability, which in turn should secure their economic sustainability and future viability.”

Financial saving calculated using c/kw charge of $0.17897 (AGL North Published Residential Tariff). Calculations are based on the average home in Melbourne with 14 light fittings, using the lights for an average of 2 hours per day. Based on 10,000 hours of globe life.