The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection and Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will join together to celebrate October as Energy Action Month by offering the opportunity to exchange inefficient light bulbs for energy-efficient ones. Bulb exchange events are scheduled at 19 County libraries.
Energy Action Month is an opportunity to for residents to take proactive steps to lower their energy usage and their utility bills. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, lighting consumes 10 percent of the total electricity used in homes.
The light bulb exchange program offers an opportunity for residents to lower their utility costs by switching to more energy-efficient LED (light emitting diodes) bulbs. Replacing just five of the most frequently used light fixtures with energy-efficient bulbs can save more than $65 a year in energy costs.
Compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs use one-third of the electricity, and last up to 10 times longer, than incandescent light bulbs. However, they also contain a small amount of mercury and should be handled carefully and always disposed of properly.
The County’s light bulb exchanges will give residents an opportunity to recycle the older bulbs the right way and lower their energy costs at the same time.
Residents can bring their old incandescent and used CFL light bulbs to the following MCPL branches in exchange for new LEDs. There is a limit of three bulbs per family at each event:
- Aspen Hill, 4407 Aspen Hill Road, Rockville – Friday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Chevy Chase, 8005 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase – Saturday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Connie Morella (Bethesda), 7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda - Tuesday, Oct. 12, 1-3 p.m.
- Damascus, 9701 Main Street, Damascus – Wednesday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Davis (North Bethesda), 6400 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda – Thursday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Gaithersburg, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg – Friday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Kensington Park, 4201 Knowles Ave., Kensington – Saturday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Little Falls, 5501 Massachusetts Ave., Bethesda – Monday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Long Branch, 8800 Garland Ave., Silver Spring – Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1-3 p.m.
- Marilyn J. Praisner (Burtonsville), 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville – Wednesday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Noyes Library for Young Children, 10237 Carroll Place, Kensington – Thursday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Olney, 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Rd., Olney – Friday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Potomac, 10101 Glenolden Drive, Potomac – Saturday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Quince Orchard, 15831 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg – Monday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Rockville Memorial, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville – Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1-3 p.m.
- Silver Spring, 900 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring – Wednesday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Twinbrook, 202 Meadow Hall Drive, Rockville - Thursday, Oct. 28, 1-3 p.m.
- Wheaton, 11701 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring – Friday, Oct. 29, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- White Oak, 11701 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring – Saturday, Oct. 30, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
