In a collaborative effort for public environmental awareness, electronics giant Philips and news station SKAI are giving away 50.000 compact fluorescent lamps in Greece. When compared to incandescent lamps of the same luminous flux, CFLs use less energy and have a longer rated life, saving thousands of tons of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.

On January 26th, Philips and SKAI representatives will be giving away CLFs in the city of Athens, Piraeus, Marousi, Thessaloni and Ptolemaida. A week after, on February 2nd free CLFs will be given away in the city of Ag. Paraskevi, Koridallos, Kallithea, Ilioupoli, Patra and Aliveri.

The momentum of the effort is so great that the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs decided to mimic the initiative and suggested [.doc] the nation wide replacement of all incandescent lamps found in schools with CLFs. Feedback from the general public is also positive but some people are concerned about the mercury in CFLs.

Disclaimer: I work for SKAI Radio 100,3