Change Your Light Bulbs

Here's a bright idea. Take a big step towards energy conservation in your home by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs. Because electricity in most households is still generated in power plants that burn fossil fuels, any wasted electricity, even in the home, can be extremely taxing on the environment in terms of both resource depletion and carbon dioxide emission.

Quite simply, some light bulbs are less efficient than others. Incandescent light bulbs, the kind that fit into most household lamps, turn the vast majority of the electricity they consume as much as 95%, according to one source into heat, rather than light.

By contrast, compact fluorescent light bulbs (pictured), or CFLs, combine substantially increased efficiency with a significantly longer lifespan. Because of their increased efficiency, an 11-watt CFL, for example, will produce about as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. And because of their longer lifespan, that same CFL should continue lighting up your room for as long as 15,000 hours, whereas your incandescent bulb is likely to last only about 1000 hours.

Just how long is 15,000 hours? That's almost two years, if you left it on 24 hours a day. In more realistic terms, that bulb could last you a decade or more.

While until recently CFLs have been difficult to find, at worst, and expensive, at best, yearly sales have steadily increased, and they are now widely available and much more affordable. What's more, between their longevity and the cash you'll save on your electricity bill, you'll make back the difference pretty quickly.

This commendation comes with a small caveat. CFLs generally contain small amounts of mercury, which means they shouldn't really be thrown out. Good news: you'll have to have them recycled. Some stores will take back dead CFLs, or you can bring them yourself to your local environmental society or recycling facility.

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