‘Take Two’ Pledge, Get Free LEDs and Entry to Taste of Fort Collins June 9 or 10

Amanda King
Communications Director

Fort Collins residents who pledge to take two energy-saving actions can earn a free one-day pass to the Taste of Fort Collins June 9 or 10 and get four free LEDs from Fort Collins Utilities at the event while supplies last.

The City is rolling out the “Take Two” pledge and campaign through July to engage residents in small actions that can make a big difference toward Fort Collins’ first milestone in its climate action goals – 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.

The two actions:

1. Switch out your home’s four most used incandescent or CFL bulbs to energy-saving LEDs (a $193 savings per household per year)
2. Make one trip a week car-free (a $238 savings per household per year). Stop by the City’s booth at the event for great ideas on easy ways to make a car-free trip convenient.

Residents can take the pledge at www.taketwofortcollins.com and get a free day pass, while supplies last, to the Taste of Fort Collins – a $15 value. City staff and community volunteers will be at the event to hand out bags containing four LEDs (one per household) to anyone there who would like to take the “Take Two” pledge. The City is hosting the event in partnership with Townsquare Media, which owns the Taste of Fort Collins event.

“If the residents of Fort Collins all took the “Take Two” pledge and implement these small actions, our community can save $9.5 million and 24 million pounds in carbon dioxide emissions,” said Lindsay Ex, Climate Program Manager for the City.

LEDs emit 200 percent less heat than a 40-watt incandescent bulb, keeping the house cooler and energy bills lower in the summer. An individual household that changes out four lights to LEDs saves $193 annually. What to do with the old bulbs? Incandescent bulbs can be thrown away, but CFLs must be recycled because they contain mercury. See a complete list of where to recycle them at https://www.fcgov.com/recycling/centers.php.

Residents who want to save even more money and energy can check out energy-saving products through Platte River Power Authority at www.taketwo.eworksstore.com.

Fort Collins has some of the most ambitious goals in the country to reduce carbon emissions 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2030 with the goal to be carbon neutral by 2050. For more information on the how you can take two, go to www.fcgov.com/taketwo.