In October 2003, Efficiency Vermont challenged each household of Poultney, Vermont to replace at least one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR® qualified compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb in their homes and businesses. Compact fluorescent bulbs provide equivalent light but use up to 66% less electricity than incandescent bulbs. This challenge was made possible through a strong commitment from the town, the local hardware store and the college; along with the national ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World campaign.  With just 545 households, Poultney residents were uniquely positioned to lead the way in making a difference in how Vermonters save energy by showing the impact that one town can have to inspire all Vermonters to take steps to save energy.

Read a Case Study about Poultney's Change a Light, Change the World campaign (PDF).

During the 2004 fall semester, Professor Steven Maier and the students enrolled in Middlebury College's Conservation and Environmental Policy (ENVS 211) class began planning a project modeled on  the 2003 Change a Light, Change the World campaign in Poultney. The campaign challenged individuals to make a difference by switching their incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs require 66% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times as long. The Middlebury class set a goal of distributing one free CFL to each household in Middlebury. The class also wanted to raise awareness in the Middlebury community about energy efficiency and its potential to mitigate climate change. The students contacted Efficiency Vermont for help in planning and implementing their ideas. Together, the groups sponsored an event spanning three days in November 2004, the "72 Hours of Light."  

Read a Case Study about Middlebury's "72 Hours of Light" (PDF).

The successful energy-saving community effort, The Manchester Challenge, began with an idea sparked by community events in Poultney and Middlebury, Vermont. In 2003, Poultney hosted an ENERGY STAR Change a Light Challenge and in 2004, a Middlebury College environmental-studies class conducted an even bigger community project to help Middlebury save energy. The Poultney and Middlebury events were part of the national ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World campaign, encouraging individuals to replace at least one incandescent bulb in their homes with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) Middlebury College student and Vermont resident Thomas Hand, was so inspired by the Change a Light efforts and its benefit to Middlebury that he decided to bring the idea to his hometown of Manchester.

Read a Case Study about the Manchester Challenge (PDF).