CFLs

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

The most common types of lights used in the home include incandescents, halogens, compact fluorescents, and light emitting diodes or LEDs. The incandescent was invented over 100 years ago by Thomas Edison, and is responsible for 20% of air conditioning energy consumed to remove unwanted heat generated from lighting. In fact, more than 90% of the energy consumed by a standard incandescent bulb is given off as heat, while only 10% is converted into light! Halogens are high-output incandescents that screw into standard sockets and are often used as spot or accent lighting. Infrared (IR) lights (which use a coating that recycles waste heat within the bulb) can be up to 50% more efficient than standard incandescents. They emit a whiter light than standard incandescents, making them a good choice for illuminating work requiring high visual acuity or where color rendition is important, such as lighting works of art (proper UV shielding should be considered).

Lighting technology has been advancing rapidly over the past decade, and more efficient lighting can play an important role in lowering your overall electricity use, as well as meeting visual needs just as well or better than yesterday’s incandescents. The latest generation of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are the most common and multi-functional energy-efficient products on the market. Where first generation CFLs cost $20–$25 per bulb and were available in only two or three styles, CFLs today are cost competitive with conventional incandescents ($1.50-$3 apiece). Available in hundreds of styles, they can be used almost anywhere, from ceiling-mounted, to recessed cans, to decorative and vanity fixtures, etc. Additionally, modern CFLs provide a range of colors, from daylight white to “warm” colors reminiscent of incandescents. While CFLs are still more expensive than incandescents, they often last up to eight times as long and, for comparable light, use about one-quarter of the electricity. One CFL can eliminate the need to produce, install, remove, and dispose of up to a dozen standard incandescent bulbs. To top it off, each CFL you install can save you over $30 in electricity costs over the lifetime of that bulb. For example, if you replaced five most used 75-watt bulbs in your house with CFLs, you could save $500 over eight years.

Recycle Responsibly

CFLs should also be properly disposed when they burn out, and dropped off at the nearest CFL recycling center. In a modern CFL bulb, there are about 4 milligrams of mercury, prompting concern about the release of this toxin if they break. Yet the use of CFLs actually creates a net reduction in the amount of mercury released over its lifetime. That’s because the largest source of mercury in the air is coal-burning power plants. Using an efficient CFL bulb instead of an incandescent bulb will reduce the amount of mercury released directly into the atmosphere by coal-burning power plants by 36%. Also, if the CFL is recycled at the end of its life, the amount of mercury released is reduced by 76%.

Make sure to recycle your CFLs properly