How many eco-friendlies does it take to change a light bulb? Just you! Swap your regular bulbs for CFLs – no special parts or fixtures are required and the benefits are huge.
CFLs are so efficient because they use less energy (watts) to produce the same light (lumens) as a comparable incandescent bulb—in some cases a full 80% less! For example, a 15W CFL produces the same amount of light as a 60W incandescent bulb, so the CFL saves 45 watts of energy for every hour it is on. Multiply that savings by several hours and several light fixtures, and you will save watts and watts of cash. (See Financial Benefits below.)
The efficiency of CFLs means less demand for energy and fewer environmental impacts from energy production—impacts that include the generation of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
The use of CFLs also reduces waste sent to landfills since one may last as long as 10 incandescent bulbs.
Take Action / Next Steps
* CFLs are now available in many sizes for pretty much any fixture. You can get them wherever you usually buy light bulbs, and they’re becoming more and more popular. You can also shop from these online stores:
http://www.energyfederation.org
http://amconservationgroup.com
http://www.bulbs.com/
http://www.goodmart.com/
* Remember that wattage and light output are different, and it can be confusing at first when identifying a CFL that is equivalent in light output (lumens) to, for example, a 75W incandescent. To help, manufacturers are now required to label light bulbs with their lumens. You can also rely on charts like the one below, produced by Energy Star, to determine the light output equivalency between standard bulbs and CFLs.
* Eventually CFLs will burn out, and since CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury they should be handled and disposed of properly. State and local laws determine how to dispose of spent fluorescent lamps. Look up lamp recycling and disposal options by state:
http://www.lamprecycle.org http://www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling/
* Learn more about mercury in CFLs: http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf