Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip # 33

Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

The existing light bulb we are used to is technology from over 100 years ago. It is inefficient and produces heat. A common energy saving tip is to use a Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL).

These bulbs cost more to purchase, they save you money over the life of the bulb. They last much longer than a traditional incandescent bulb, run cooler, and use almost 80% less electricity. 

About 18 months ago we replaced the majority of our old incandescent light bulbs with CFL's....and without exception, they are all still working!

Some people object to the colour of the light, so what you need to shop for is "Warm White", which is much closer to the light of a traditional bulb.

Remember to keep the bulbs once they burn out for disposal with hazardous waste such as batteries as they contain mercury (about 20% of the amount found in a watch battery).

Check out this 3 minute YouTube video called "CFL Lightbulbs in Plain English"

Much of the information contained in this post was obtained from Carbon Diet

Monica