New Haven Independent

The New Haven chapter of Peace Jam, an organization advised by Nobel Prize winners, got a $1,000 grant from Ashoka Youth Venture to replace, for free, all the incandescent bulbs in four homes with energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs. On Friday they were at the Fair Haven Heights home of Nelson Gonzalez (pictured with his granddaughter, Solimar), where he lives with his wife, his daughter, her baby and his two children. He said his electric bill is now over $250. “We have an electric oven, and everybody has a TV in their room,” he said, by way of explaining his high bill.

Ben MartinMooney (pictured at top of story), Gonzalez’s neighbor and a member of Peace Jam, said members of his group surveyed the house, counting all the bulbs in use and checking their wattage, and then came back on Friday to replace them all.

“The fluorescent bulbs use about 75 percent less energy,” MartinMooney explained. “And in the average American household, about 40 percent of your energy bill is spent on lighting, so hypothetically, you could save up to 30 percent on your electricity bill.” After United Illuminating (which serves New Haven and Fairfield counties) raised its rates 50 percent last year, the state reportedly has the highest utility rates in the country.

Inside the house, Elise Thomson, making like an eco-Easter Bunny, revealed how many bulbs had been retired to retrofit the house.

This chandelier is one of the fixtures where bulbs were replaced, demonstrating the increasing variety and convenience of CFL’s, which in the old days came in awkward sizes and shapes and not many wattages (and not dimmable, as are now available).

Peace Jammer Shannon Palmer kept Solimar out of harm’s way during the bulb transition, and the toddler happily gummed an empty CFL box.

CFLs cost more upfront than the old-fashioned bulbs, but last much longer. (Visit UI’s Conservation Program .) They contain small amounts of mercury, so the bulbs should not be thrown in the trash after their long life is over. Ikea accepts expired CFLs for disposal.

Martin Mooney said the bulbs for the Gonzalez household cost $250. He said Nelson had referred his group to three families in Fair Haven, the Hill and West Haven, from among his friends at his two full-time truck- and bus-driving jobs. That will take care of the $1,000 grant, but he said Peace Jam is applying for a Cool It Challenge grant that could bring in more funds to continue the program. Paul Kowalski, director of the city’s environmental health program, came out to give the city’s blessing to the youth effort and said he’d be happy to write letters of support for future grants.

The teens will monitor the utility bills in the four households for the next few months to note the percentage of savings.

Martin Mooney (pictured on the left, holding his little sister Emma) said his group (including Palmer and Kathryn Cupo, back row, and Thomson, Claire Murtha-Paradis and Celia Guillard in front) can’t provide free replacements for every household, but he hopes their findings of lowered utility costs will encourage other homeowners to make the change. “We’re hoping that by showing people that, although the initial investment is a little higher than incandescent light bulbs, in the long run they do pay off, not only financially but also you’re saving a small amount of CO2 from being pushed into the atmosphere.”