Operation Change Out is in Full Swing ... Do Your Part Quantico

This base initiative stems from the Department of Defense, Energy Star Operation Change Out–The Military Challenge, which encourages service members to replace inefficient, incandescent light bulbs in their residences with Energy Star qualified models.

Each base made a pledge and is being ranked by the percentage of its patrons who switch bulbs and then report it on www.energystar.gov/oco . The base with the greatest percentage of change outs will receive a plaque.

According to the Web site, Quantico is currently at 1 percent or 83 of the set goal of 1143.

The staff noncommissioned officer in charge of base beatification explained that number is not accurate.

‘‘We are currently at 100 percent, but we need base residents to update the Web site,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Aundra Coleman. He explained that the base pledged 1143 because that is how many bulbs are located in base housing. All of the homes in base housing are already outfitted with the energy saving bulbs, but residents need to register online to make it count.

The pledge is not limited to base residents, but includes anyone who works aboard Quantico.

Whether they live here or not, Quantico patrons are encouraged to replace their bulbs and then annotate it on the Web site, said Coleman. He explained that they will just help the base surpass the annotated goal.

After buying and installing the Energy Star light bulbs log on to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=globalwarming.showPledge

• Fill out the ‘‘I plan to replace” box and select MCB Quantico
• Patrons should click on the green Submit Your Pledge button, after answering a few additional survey questions.

To submit a pledge without going to the Web site, Marines and DoD employees can e-mail their name, zip code and how many bulbs are going to be installed to operationchangeout@usmc.mil

Changing one incandescent lightbulb to an Energy Star qualified light bulb in every on-base housing unit in the United States would save abut 62 million kilowatt hours over the lifetime of the bulbs, enough energy to light about 32,000 homes for a year. The switch will save nearly $7 million in energy costs over the lifetime of the bulbs and prevent the emissions of more than 95 million pounds of carbon dioxide, according to the Energy Star Web site. Energy Star qualified lightbulbs use 75 percent less energy and last up to 15 times longer than an incandescent lightbulb. Energy Star lightbulbs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and shades of white for nearly every household application. For more information go to www.energystar.gov