Rotterdam gives away energy-saving lightbulbs

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The Dutch city said it will distribute more than 600,000 light bulbs and that the expected savings for its citizens -- 26 million euros ($38 million) over six years from lower electricity bills -- will far outweigh the costs of 4 million euros.

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The city of Rotterdam will distribute energy-saving light bulbs to all of its more than 300,000 households to cut emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), it said on Tuesday.

The Dutch city said it will distribute more than 600,000 light bulbs and that the expected savings for its citizens -- 26 million euros ($38 million) over six years from lower electricity bills -- will far outweigh the costs of 4 million euros.

The initiative is part of a push by the city of Rotterdam to cut its CO2 emissions by half by the year 2025 compared with 1990 levels.

The city said the energy-saving lightbulbs were expected to result in avoiding 75,000 tons of CO2 emissions over six years, a conservative estimate of their life span.

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A spokesman for the city said all CO2 emissions related to the initiative -- such as those for production of the lightbulbs or their distribution -- would be offset.

(Reporting by Niclas Mika; editing by James Jukwey)