The good news is that even before the Take Charge Challenge officially begins, Lawrence residents have reported switching out 316 incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent ones. The switch is the equivalent of taking six cars off the road.

The bad news is that Manhattan has switched out 486.

Those numbers place our intrastate rival ahead in a competition that will pit the two university towns against each other for the next eight months to see who can save the most energy. Along with some sweet sustainability bragging rights, the winner receives $100,000 to put toward a renewable energy project. The Take Charge Challenge is funded by Recovery Act dollars, being sponsored by the Kansas Energy Office and operated by the Climate and Energy Project.

On Saturday, the competition officially kicks off in Lawrence with a watch party (Kansas University men’s basketball team just so happens to be playing Kansas State that night).

The event is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Liberty Hall, 644 Mass.

Along with kid-friendly activities, there will be giveaways of pizza, compact fluorescent light bulbs, draft stoppers and lots of information on how you can take part in the Take Charge Challenge.

Here’s how you can get involved.

Attend community events

This is perhaps the easiest and cheapest step you can take to participate. For every person attending a Take Charge Challenge event, Lawrence gets points. Saturday’s kick-off party is the first of many Take Charge Challenge events in Lawrence.

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs

Another simple and inexpensive way to participate in the Take Charge Challenge is by switching incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent ones. By changing the five most-used light bulbs in your home, residents can save $75 a year in electricity costs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent ones and last up to 10 times longer, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

To report how many light bulbs you switched over, go online to TakeChargeKansas.org. While you are there, check out the running tally between Manhattan and Lawrence and the scrolling names of Lawrence residents who have already made the switch.

Enroll in an energy efficiency program through Westar

Westar Energy, the electric company for Lawrence residents, has a number of energy efficiency programs geared toward customers.

Among them is its WattSaver program where customers can sign up to have a free, programmable thermostat installed in their home (it comes with a $300 value). With the new technology, residents can control their thermostats from any computer connected to the Internet.

In return, Westar can cycle on and off air conditioners and heat pumps during the hottest days of the year to lessen the energy loads during the periods of highest demand.

Westar also offers information on installing heat pumps and classes and training on energy efficiency for elementary school students, real estate agents and builders. For more information, go to westarenergy.com.

Get an Efficiency Kansas home energy audit

Those wanting to invest a little more time and money in the competition might consider getting a home energy audit through Efficiency Kansas. For a limited time, the Kansas Energy Office is offering $100 home energy audits that come with a $600 value.

Through the program, an auditor will investigate a home, inside and out, ceiling to floor, to find out where air is leaking. From there, home energy auditors will make a list of improvements to improve energy efficiency.

The Efficiency Kansas program, which is funded through Recovery Act money, can connect homeowners with lenders who will provide low interest loans to cover the cost of those efficiency upgrades.

Those interested in a home energy audit can go to efficiencykansas.com to sign up for the program and find a local auditor (Lawrence has five).