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In Praise of Compact Flourescent Bulbs

Helping the environment and protecting the climate doesn’t always require sacrifices.  Sometimes you can do the right thing and save money, too! Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) are a good example.

CFLs are energy efficient. The Department of Energy has calculated that if every home in the United States replaced just one conventional light bulb with a CFL, the amount of electricity that would be saved every year would be the equivalent of taking nearly a million cars off the road. And the average home has at least forty-five bulbs! So switching to CFLs means less pollution, less greenhouse gasses, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and savings in your pocket, to boot!

Here’s why replacing conventional bulbs with CFLs is a good idea. Conventional light bulbs give off a lot of heat, and that’s wasted energy. Much more of the energy that goes into a CFL comes out as light, and much less as heat. As a consequence, a CFL burns about one-fourth the energy as a conventional bulb with the same light output. So while CFLs cost a little more initially, replacing a conventional bulb with a CFL translates to a savings of around $30.00 over the life of the bulb. CFLs are such a good idea that the state of California is considering legislation to ban conventional light bulbs!

What is a CFL? - Compact fluorescent light bulbs have been around for a couple of decades now. When they were first introduced, they were expensive; they were slow to start; they required a heavy ballast that fit poorly into standard sockets; the color seemed strange; and the flicker drove some people crazy! Today’s CFL has come a long way. A CFL is simply a long fluorescent tube that has been bent and twisted so that it takes up approximately the same space as a conventional light bulb. But the new generation is a whole different bulb!

What Kinds of CFLs are available?  CFLs that replace conventional bulbs are easy to find, and will be on the shelves of your supermarket, discount, or hardware store in a wide range of wattages and colors. You can also find specialty CFLs to replace floodlights, spotlights, globe lights, and many other specialty bulbs. There are even three-way bulbs, and bulbs designed for dimmers!

What about the Color?  CFLs are available in different hues to suit your mood. These CFLs are a “warm” color (2700 kelvin) designed to mimic the yellowish tint of a conventional incandescent bulb. They make great room lighting and are kind to skin tones. “Cool” tone CFLs (5100 kelvin) are more of a blue-white color, and are closer to “daylight.” Some people find them easier to read with, others find them a little too harsh for indoor work - but they may be ideal in a workshop or studio. Cool or warm, the choice is yours.

What about the Start Speed?  Old-style CFLs took several seconds to start, and the start-up flicker was annoying to many people. Modern CFLs start almost instantly. You will notice, however, that a CFL is only about 80% of its final brightness when it first comes on. Over the next minute or two, as it warms up, it will brighten to full light.

What Wattage Should I Use?  A CFL uses about one-fourth as much energy as a conventional bulb. For the equivalent of a 60-watt bulb, use a 15-watt CFL. For a 75-watt bulb, use a 20-watt CFL. For a 100-watt bulb, use a 26-watt CFL, and for a 150-watt bulb, use a 40-watt CFL. And if you have a lamp that says you cannot use more than a 60-watt bulb, splurge! A 20-watt CFL will give off far less heat and far more light and still use far less energy than that 60-watt bulb!

I’ve Heard That a CFL has Mercury in it!  That’s true. A CFL, like all fluorescent bulbs, has a small amount of mercury in it, and mercury is bad for the environment. CFLs, like all fluorescent bulbs, should be disposed of properly. Take them to a hardware store that recycles them, or turn them in to your city’s hazardous waste pickup. But here’s the good news. Coal fired power plants release mercury into the atmosphere, too, and the amount of mercury that is not pumped into the atmosphere because we are using less electricity is far greater than the amount of mercury needed to make a CFL. So while a CFL contains mercury and should be treated accordingly, you are actually reducing mercury pollution by switching!

So What are you Waiting For? With all these reasons to use CFLs, it makes sense to start now. Try these two bulbs in a lamp or fixture for thirty days and see what you think. If you like them, (and I’m betting you will), start replacing more bulbs with CFLs. You’ll save money and help the environment at the same time. If you don’t like them, don’t throw them away. Give them to someone else with a copy of this so they can give them a try!  Either way, you are helping to make this a better planet!