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Energy
Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb
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Written by Greeniac24
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| Tuesday, 01 July 2008 | ||||
Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light BulbA compact fluorescent light bulb is an energy efficient alternative for your conventional incandescent bulb. If every American changed just one light bulb in their home to an Energy Star certified compact fluorescent bulb, we would save enough energy to light three million homes for a year. This same action would also eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the equivalent of 800,000 cars. Just imagine the impact if every American changed every light bulb in their home! BENEFITS for the Environment: CFLs are more energy efficient than conventional incandescent light bulbs. They use around 75% less electricity and give off 75% less heat while emitting the same amount of light. Although these energy savers contain 5mg of mercury, when CFLs are properly recycled no mercury is emitted into the environment. BENEFITS for Your Wallet: Because CFLs use less energy than incandescent bulbs, you can expect to see the savings on your energy bill. An average of $30 is saved in energy expenditures in the lifetime of one CFL. You can calculate your total savings per bulb: $30 x the number of bulbs switched. BENEFITS for You You may even end up with better lighting quality! According to a test conducted by Popular Mechanics, participants rated CFLs as having higher overall quality of light than the traditional incandescent light bulb. Using CFLs will also save you from taking so many trips to the store for replacement bulbs. Incandescent bulbs last an average of 1,000 hours in a lifetime, while CFLs can last up to 10,000 hours. Cost: Low While they might cost a few dollars more than incandescent light bulbs, in the long run CFLs save you money. The investment made into CFLs is quickly returned through savings in your power bill. Time and Effort: Low How long does it take you to change a light bulb - a few seconds, maybe? Those few seconds can make a big difference! Switching to a compact fluorescent light bulb is one of the easiest things you can do to make a positive environmental impact. Where to find CFLs: Most hardware supply stores carry CFLs, as do some grocery stores. You can use Energy Star's store locator to find a CFL vendor near you. Issues to consider: CFL wattage: When buying CFLs, remember you get more light per wattage than from outdated incandescent bulbs. For example, if you currently use a 60-watt bulb in your bedroom lamp, the CFL equivalent would be a 15-watt bulb. The exact conversions vary from brand to brand, and the equivalents are usually noted on the packaging. Energy Star label: Compact fluorescent light bulbs with the Energy Star stamp of approval are the most energy efficient and have the best light quality. The Energy Star label lets you know that the bulbs are put through rigorous tests to ensure that they meet set standards. Size, shape, and other details: CFLs come in many sizes and shapes for your various lighting fixtures, so be sure to choose the right one according to your needs. The spiral is a popular CFL shape, and it fits where most standard incandescent bulbs fit. It's important to know that not all CFLs work with dimmers. If you are planning to use a CFL bulb in a dimmer, check the packaging to ensure that the one you are selecting is dimmer compatible. Shortcomings of CFLs: While CFLs are good energy efficient alternatives to conventional incandescent lamps, they are not superior on all fronts. CFLs emit a shorter spectrum of light that is known to aggravate some people. In addition, CFLs take a few minutes to reach their maximum output, so they are typically better suited in locations where lights are constantly on. How to dispose of CFLs: Because CFLs contain minimal amounts or mercury, it is important to dispose of used and/or broken bulbs properly. As with any recyclable product, it is always best to recycle. To find out if there is a recycling center that accepts CFLs in your area, visit Lamp Recycle or call 1-800-CLEAN-UP. If there is no nearby recycling option, the next best alternative is to dispose of old bulbs at a hazardous waste collection site. Contact your local municipal waste agency to find out where to take your used and/or broken CFLs. How to handle a broken CFL: These are the EPA recommended guidelines in the event of a broken CFL: 1. Open a window and leave the room for at least 15 minutes. 2. Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum. Do not use your bare hands to clean up the broken pieces. Use disposable rubber gloves if available. Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with a stiff piece of paper or cardboard. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe. Use sticky tape to pick up smaller pieces and powder.3. Place all of the broken pieces, powder, and cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it. Then take the bag to a CFL recycling center or to your local hazardous waste collection center. 4. Wash your hands after disposing of the bag. 5. After the first time vacuuming the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag. Place the bag, any vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials in sealed plastic bags and dispose of them accordingly.
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November 2011 ) | ||||
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Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial fleet of airplanes every 3 months
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77% of people who commute to work by car drive alone.
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Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year.
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You’ll save two pounds of carbon for every 20 glass bottles that you recycle.
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You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), over the life of the bulb.
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Every week about 20 species of plants and animals become extinct.
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Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy used to make the material from scratch.
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82 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. come from burning fossil fuels.
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An aluminum can that is thrown away instead of recycled will still be a can 500 years from now!
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