GP "Gives Hell" to Greek Energy Minister

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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               GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> GREENPEACE "GIVES HELL" TO GREEK ENERGY MINISTER ON ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
 
"Ms. Papandreou, we are here to 'change your lights*' "
[*Greek expression, also meaning "give you hell"]
 
ATHENS, 5 April 1996 (GP) Using this slogan, sixteen
Greenpeace activists proceeded to change the lightbulbs in the
building of the Greek Ministry of Energy. The activists
changed the ordinary (filament) lightbulbs, that the Ministry
inexcusably keeps using, with commonly available energy-
efficient lightbulbs which consume only a fifth of the energy
and last ten times as much.
 
This simple move, which did not even cover all of the
lightbulbs used in the building, will save the Ministry about
US $2,500 while at the same time saving more than 20,000
kilowatt-hours and avoiding the release of 30,000 kilograms of

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
 
Greenpeace has calculated that by substituting a large portion
of the filament lightbulbs, used for lighting in Greek
buildings, with  energy-efficient compact fluorescent
lightbulbs would save more than 200,000 tons of oil per year -
the equivalent of a medium-sized power plant.
 
"With this action we ask the Minister of Energy, Ms.
Papandreou, to recognise energy efficiency as a major priority
in the energy sector and to translate this recognition into
concrete measures," said Greenpeace campaigner Stelios Psomas.
 
Greenpeace wants the Ministry of Energy to follow the example
of its  counterparts in many countries in Europe and North
America, providing  incentives to consumers by subsidising the
purchase of energy-efficient lightbulbs.
 
Greenpeace calls on the Minister of Energy to set the goal of
substituting, within the next two years, 20 million filament
lightbulbs with  energy-efficient ones.
 
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For more information contact: Stelios Psomas, Greenpeace
Greece Tel. +30 1 3806374-5
 

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