The ENERGY STAR® Change a Light, Change the World (CAL) campaign calls on Americans to take a small step that can make a big difference to protect the environment and preserve energy resources—switch out a single lightbulb or fixture to one that has earned the government's ENERGY STAR for energy efficiency. The annual month-long campaign brings together manufacturers, retailers, utility partners, state and local government and energy efficiency organizations to offer incentives and information to consumers about energy-efficient lighting. In 2005, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enlisted PRR to lead national public relations outreach to breathe new life into the campaign and start a national movement toward energy efficiency, one light at a time.

PRR's integrated approach would raise awareness of the CAL campaign, engage ENERGY STAR partners and stakeholders, provide a hard news angle for media, and give consumers a call to action to save energy and protect the environment. Following PRR's recommendation, EPA declared October 5th the first annual ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day, and planned media and outreach activities around it. PRR also recommended that EPA launch the first-ever ENERGY STAR online Change a Light Pledge—an interactive way for consumers to pledge their commitment to change just one light in their home to an ENERGY STAR qualified one. EPA launched the campaign with a national media event in Washington, DC featuring EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson and a live lamp visual comparison of the energy and environmental impact if each household made the one light change. PRR helped EPA recruit more than 30 governors across the country to mark Change a Light Day and take the Change a Light Pledge. Media outreach included coverage in national print and broadcast outlets such as NPR, Reuters and NBC, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek, and MSNBC.com., and a Satellite Media Tour. In EPA's words, the 2005 Change a Light, Change the World campaign was "an incredible success." With more than 100 local partners holding campaign kick-off events, the campaign reached a total of 90 million consumers with a media value of more than $3.5 million, and visits to energystar.gov during the campaign were up 50 percent over the previous month. To date, more than 65,000 Americans have taken the Change a Light Pledge, saving 21,667,800 kWh of energy and keeping 30,984,954 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions out of the environment.