Brenda DiCarlo, Southern Maryland Food Bank Director, shows the contents of a pantry bag which includes CFL light bulbs donated by SMECO.
Waldorf, Md. – Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) is continuing its partnership with the Southern Maryland Food Bank to offer families with limited resources ways to reduce costs by improving energy efficiency. SMECO recently donated 30,000 compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to help customer-members save energy and money, as part of the co-op’s participation in EmPOWER Maryland, a program designed to reduce the state’s energy consumption.
ENERGY STAR® certified CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. Replacing an incandescent bulb with a CFL can save up to $50 in electricity during the bulb’s lifetime. “Lighting upgrades are an easy and effective way customers can better manage energy costs,” said Jeff Shaw, SMECO’s Vice President, Distributed Energy and Sustainability.
“We want customers to learn more about saving energy because that’s an expense they need to manage. And when every dollar counts, they can put those savings to good use for other household needs.”
“Providing food is just the beginning when it comes to helping families on tight budgets,” said Brenda DiCarlo, Southern Maryland Food Bank Director. “Making small changes like installing energy-efficient lightbulbs helps money go a lot further every month.”
Find additional information and updates about SMECO’s energy efficiency programs by visiting www.smeco.coop/save or by calling 1-888-440-3311.
