What is Make the Switch?

The Initiative

Make The Switch is a home-grown UAE initiative to increase awareness and promote the benefits of energy conservation and energy efficiency. The main goal of the initiative is to encourage the use of energy saving light bulbs within our homes. UAE-based Ecobility Energy Solutions launched the Make The Switch initiative with the help of a handful of corporate partners and supporters.

The Problem

The traditional light bulb, known as an incandescent bulb, has barely evolved over the past 129 years since it was invented. Incandescent bulbs are a shameful waste of energy because they create light through the use of heat. The basic idea behind these bulbs is simple. Electricity runs through the filament (small wire inside the bulb) and the electrical energy is turned into heat. The heat is so intense that it makes the filament glow white hot, and the "white" part is what we see as light. The problem with incandescent bulbs is that creating heat wastes a lot of electricity - about 90% of what they consume. Heat is not light and since the purpose of the light bulb is light, all of the energy used creating heat is wasted pointlessly. Even more worrying is that the wasted electricity results in increased carbon emissions which in turn speed up climate change. This is where we all need to come in.

The Solution

Lighting typically makes up 15 to 20% of our household electricity bill. Switching from traditional light bulbs to energy efficient light bulbs is an effective, accessible change every UAE resident can make right now to reduce energy use at home and prevent carbon emissions that contribute significantly to climate change.

Make The Switch aims to introduce 1,000,000 Illume Energy Efficient Bulbs into our homes and each one of us is encouraged to take part. To make things easier, we are making them available at an exceptionally low price thanks to contributions made by UAE real estate major; Nakheel. Driven by their commitment to sustainability, Nakheel has generously subsidized the retail price of the 1,000,000 Illume Energy Efficient Bulbs as part of the initiative. The responsibility is now in our hands as residents of the UAE to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle by reducing our energy use and lowering our Carbon footprint. Remember, little changes can have huge impacts when added up all together. Join the movement and change a bulb to sustain our Planet.

The Numbers

Make The Switch will create substantial benefits for our nation and of course; our planet as a whole. Unity is a powerful concept and its true impact can be difficult to appreciate without specifics. So to make things a little clearer, we've taken care of the math for you - once we switch in 1,000,000 Illume Energy Efficient Bulbs into our homes, we can take pride in;

Decreasing electricity consumption by over 470,000,000 kWh - enough to power a small country for a whole year and resulting in less pressure on our national grids

Preventing over 300,000 Tons of carbonemissions - equivalent to taking 55,000 cars off UAE roads. An incredible outcome in reducing our carbon footprint.