Press release 009/2007 PDF / 38 KB
Joint press release with Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, Lightcycle and Deutsche Umwelthilfe
The current debate about global warming and the higher cost of energy are steadily raising public interest in information about how to use energy efficiently. Private households’ energy savings, particularly in lighting, make a considerable contribution to reducing emissions of CO2. The Karstadt department store chain’s campaign weeks shed light on the purchase, use, disposal, and recycling of energy saving light bulbs. All stores in the chain with a lighting product range will participate. The nationwide campaign is the result of a joint effort by Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, Lightcycle and Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), which is enjoying support from the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
Energy saving light bulbs lower electricity costs for lighting by up to 80 percent as they use much less power to produce the same amount of light. High-quality energy saving light bulbs last at least ten times as long as regular light bulbs. But even energy saving light bulbs do not last forever. Since they contain small amounts of mercury, these bulbs must be separated from other household waste when disposed of, as stipulated by the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act which has been in effect in Germany since 24 March 2006.
Karstadt is extending a special offer to customers during the campaign: customers who return old or defective light bulbs of any kind when purchasing a new compact energy saving bulb will receive a five percent discount. Each additional returned illuminant increases the discount by five percent, up to a maximum of six returned used units; that is, 30 percent. Special collection points will be set up by the Lightcycle company in all participating stores to ensure easy disposal and recycling of burnt out bulbs. In addition, there is a (German) brochure on offer issued jointly by the Federal Environment Agency and Karstadt (Wer will schon im Treibhaus leben – Who would want to live in a greenhouse) with useful advice on how to handle energy efficiently in the home.
The Wer will schon im Treibhaus leben brochure is available free of charge and can be downloaded at http://www.umweltdaten.de/publikationen/fpdf-l/3155.pdf.
Press contacts:
Karstadt Warenhaus Gesellschaft mbH - Theodor-Althoff-Str. 2 - 45133 Essen – Tel: 0201-727-5221 – Fax: 0201-727-69 5221 – E-mail: qs-umwelt@karstadt.de - www.karstadt.de
Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. – Eva Leonhardt - Hackescher Markt 4 - 10178 Berlin - Tel: 030 - 2589 86 -12 - Fax: 030 - 2589 86 -19 - www.duh.de
Lightcycle Retourlogistik und Service GmbH - Landsbergerstr. 155 - 80687 München - Redaktion Petra Griebel – Tel: 089-892676-0 – Fax: 089-892676-17 - pg@mpagmbh.de - www.lightcycle.de
Federal Environment Agency - Wörlitzer Platz 1 - 06844 Dessau – Tel: 0340-2103-2208, Fax: 0340-2104-2208 - karsten.klenner@uba.de ; www.umweltbundesamt.de
Dessau, 28 February 2007