Department of Energy turns out to be the Energy Hog

“What changes are you willing to make to save energy at work?” asks a blog post from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Savers blog.

Energy Hog Hiding Place #1: The Department of Energyenergyhog.orgFor starters, how about swapping out old fluorescent and incandescent lighting, as its own website suggests? Wait a minute, file that under the changes the DOE hasn’t been willing to make.

That’s right, according to a rather embarrassing audit [PDF] of the department’s own energy use, its offices have been leaking $2.2 million in electricity that could be powering 3,200 homes a year just because the DOE hasn’t been willing to change the light bulbs. Nobody’s perfect, of course, but really. They got caught red-light-handed installing incandescent bulbs at all seven of the DOE sites audited.

Maybe we’re squealing, but the DOE should shine a light on its own “Energy Hog” campaign, which was aimed at encouraging kids and adults to save energy, and which notes that “incandescent light bulbs are outdated.” When Energy Hogs take over this family’s home, guess which solution swoops in to save the day? Wait for it … energy-efficient light bulbs!

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