Use
compact fluorescent light bulbs to replace ordinary incandescent light
bulbs, and you will be taking a significant step toward reducing greenhouse gases
and overall fossil fuel use. If every household in the United States installed
just one 15-watt compact fluorescent light bulb to replace one 60-watt
incandescent light bulb, we could save enough energy to provide power to 1.5
million people.
It's hard to believe that simply switching from an ordinary light bulb to a
compact fluorescent lightbulb could have such a positive and powerful impact.
The fact that it is so simple actually makes it a challenge to convince
people that it works. In 2005, Americans bought 5.5 million lightbulbs per day,
spending a total of about $1 billion for the year. Yet only 5 percent of those
purchases were for compact fluorescent light bulbs, even though they offer
impressive benefits:
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Compact fluorescent light bulbs last up to ten times longer than incandescent
bulbs. Generally, an incandescent bulb lasts less than 1,000 hours (about one
year of use at three hours per day), while a compact fluorescent bulb lasts
about 10,000 hours. So, if you stall a compact fluorescent light bulb into a
lamp on your child’s first birthday, that same light bulb will most likely be
casting light on his or her sixth grade homework ten years later.
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Compact fluorescent light bulbs save you money. Although they initially cost
more than incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs pay for themselves
in reduced energy costs after about five months of ordinary use. If you
replace a 75-watt incandescent bulb with a 20-watt compact fluorescent light
bulb, you will save $66 over the life of the bulb (based on $0.12 per kilowatt
hour). That's just one bulb; imagine if you replaced more than one!
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Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 75 to 80 percent less electricity than
incandescent light bulbs and thus are more energy efficient. Here's why:
Incandescent bulbs create light by heating a filament inside the bulb, which
requires a lot of energy, while compact fluorescent bulbs contain a gas that
produces invisible ultraviolet light when the gas is stimulated by
electricity. Because compact fluorescent bulbs (and regular fluorescent light
bulbs) don't use heat to produce light, they are much more energy efficient
than traditional incandescent light bulbs. That's why you can replace a
60-watt incandescent bulb with a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulb and get the
same amount of light.
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Compact fluorescent light bulbs emit less heat than incandescent light bulbs.
About 90 percent of the energy emitted by incandescent bulbs is heat, compared
with around 30 percent released by compact fluorescent bulbs.
When compact fluorescent bulbs were first introduced in 1980, they cost about
$25 each and required about ten minutes to reach full illumination. Today's
compact fluorescent bulbs cost about $3 to $4 per bulb and provide instant,
clear, highly energy efficient light. Are you ready to make the switch?
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The next time you need to replace a light bulb at home or in the office, reach
for a compact fluorescent light bulb. Compact fluorescent light bulbs can be
used to replace incandescent and most halogen light bulbs.
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If you need to replace a dimmer switch bulb, purchase a compact fluorescent
light bulb made specifically for dimmer lights.
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Install compact fluorescent light bulbs in hard-to-reach areas, such as high
ceilings, hallways, and stairways.
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To get the most benefit provided by compact fluorescent light bulbs, install
them in areas where you typically leave the lights on for an extended period
(more than 15 minutes), such as the kitchen, family room, living room, and
porch. Frequently switching compact fluorescent light bulbs on and off can
reduce the life of the bulb.
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Compact fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of
mercury: about 4 mg, compared with about 500 mg found in conventional
mercury thermometers. If you break a compact fluorescent light bulb, use a wet
rag to wipe up and collect the glass and throw the rag and pieces of bulb
away. Currently, compact fluorescent light bulbs can be disposed of in regular
trash in the United States. However, technically they are hazardous waste, and
it is suggested that you dispose of them according to your local household
hazardous waste collection guidelines. Contact your local municipality for
information on household hazardous waste collection in your area.
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Take the pledge to save energy and help reduce the risks of global climate
change by replacing at least one light in your home with an
ENERGY
STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb.
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Encourage others to install compact fluorescent light bulbs. Use of compact
fluorescent bulbs is very helpful for older people or anyone who has
difficulty replacing their light bulbs, especially in hard-to-reach places
like in ceilings, stairways, hallways, and outdoors.
Notes:
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Compact fluorescent light bulbs can be used in enclosed fixtures that are not
completely recessed. They should not be used in totally enclosed recessed
fixtures, because the heat they produce—even though it is much lower than that
produced by incandescent bulbs—can cause a fire.
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Most compact fluorescent light bulbs can be used outdoors, but be sure the
bulbs you buy have been rated for outdoor use.
Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs is one
of the easiest and more effective acts you can do to protect the environment.
Have you seen the light?
