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Tuesday, 01 July 2008

Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb

What Is a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb (CFL)?

A 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CFL wattage: When buying CFLs, remember you get more light per wattage than from outdated incandescent bulbs.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 ( Friday, 12 February 2010 )

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Green Facts

  • If everyone in the U.S. used energy-efficient lighting, we could retire 90 average size power plants

  • Replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL will keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb

  • One-half of our nation's lakes and one-third of our rivers are too polluted to be completely safe for swimming or fishing

  • Turning down your home’s central heating thermostat one degree for an 8-hour period, can cut your fuel consumption by as much as 10% 

  • The average non-agricultural homeowner uses up to 10 times more toxic chemicals per acre than a farmer 

  • There are more roads located within our National Forests than there are within the entire U.S. Interstate Highway system

  • The energy saved from recycling one 8-ounce aluminum can could operate a TV set for 3 hours, which is the equivalent to half a can of gasoline

  • About 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable, yet our recycling rate is just 28%

  • For every ton of office paper we recycle, 380 gallons of oil are saved