Students snap up CFLS

The event distributed about a third as many compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) as a similar project in fall 2007, when organizers handed out more than 3,000 bulbs to the student body.

Class of 2010 president Connor Diemand-Yauman said that fewer bulbs were given out this year because “there’s a chance that we may want to do … two small exchanges instead of one big exchange.”

“We wanted to analyze the best way to allocate the funds we’ve raised to do the most good for the University [from a sustainability standpoint],” he said.

Diemand-Yauman said he was pleased with the success of the project, which was sponsored by the High Meadows Fund.

“It’s always good to see such a tremendous positive response,” he said.

While he had initially tried to raise the funds himself, Diemand-Yauman eventually turned to sustainability manager Shana Weber for help. Most University lighting fixtures have been switched from incandescent bulbs to CFLs over the past few years, according to the Facilities Department.

The bulbs last 10 times longer than incandescent ones and are four times more efficient.

Diemand-Yauman said that he hopes that Princeton will be the one to launch the first program to exchange light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the future. “It’s the latest technology” in energy efficiency, he said.