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Make the Switch to Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

 

It’s easy to think that as long as we turn the lights off when we leave a room we’re doing all we can to save energy. But there’s a way to be green even when the lights are on, by making the switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Here’s why you should switch:

1. You’ll save the Earth. Switching just one 11watt bulb to an energy efficient version saves more than 685 pounds of CO2 a year. And not only does that new bulb produce less waste, it also uses 75% less energy than a conventional bulb. Think about how many light bulbs there are in your house, and then think about the collective green effect of switching all of them to energy efficient versions. In fact, if every American switched just one bulb, 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be avoided every year—which equals the waste from 800,000 cars.
2. You’ll save money. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are not only energy efficient, but they’re cost efficient too. Even though they are slightly more expensive to purchase than incandescent bulbs, a household that changed 30 of their light bulbs to CFLs would see a 12% decrease in energy costs over the five-year life of the bulbs. This saves as much as $40 per bulb! It’s just like growing a garden: you have to invest a bit at first, but give it some time and you’ll see huge dividends. And speaking of dividends, this means of saving money is much safer than playing the stock market.
3. You’ll save time. At first, sunk time might seem like the biggest reason why you shouldn’t switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, but in reality you’re wasting energy—not just the Earth’s but your own—if you don’t switch. Every fluorescent bulb lasts up to 10 times longer than the regular incandescent variety, and CFLs are designed to light your home for five years before burning out. Imagine only having to replace your light bulbs once every five years, especially fixtures with five or six different bulbs, or those pesky few that take a ladder to reach.

All of these advantages should make light bulbs turn on in your head. As environmental concerns grow, switching to energy efficient light bulbs is one way to help that everyone can afford.

Let us know if you’ve had success, or troubles, making the change to efficient light bulbs in the comments—we’d love to hear your story.