Why Go Green

CFL lightbulbs are environmentally-friendly, cost effective and efficient.

Energy conservation and pollution prevention

CFL bulbs help fight global warming: less energy, same amount of light. CFLs use 50-80% less energy than incandescents. Only five percent of the energy in incandescent bulbs converts into light (the rest is given off as heat).

CFL bulbs reduce air and water pollution. Replacing a single 75 Watt incandescent bulb with a 20 Watt CFL will keep a 1300 of pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb. Saving electricity reduces CO2 emissions, sulfur oxide and high-level nuclear waste. If everyone in the U.S. used energy-efficient lighting, we could retire 90 average size power plants.

Recycling CFL bulbs. All fluorescent lights contain trace amounts of mercury. But don't worry - there is far less mercury in CFLs than in thermometers or old thermostats. Plus using these bulbs helps prevent mercury from being released into the air from coal-burning power plants. Years down the road, when they burn out, recycle them.

Compare and save

CFL bulbs last longer so you don't have to replace them as often – which means reduced energy bills!

• Number of hours an incandescent bulb lasts = 750
• Number of hours a CFL lasts = 10,000
• Number of Kilowatt-hours over 10,000 hours used by an incandescent bulb = 750
• Number of Kilowatt-hours over 10,000 hours used by a CFL = 180

Although initially more expensive, with CFL bulbs you save money in the long run because CFLs use one-third the electricity and last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Do the math, save money. A single 20 watt CFL used in place of a 75 watt incandescent will save about 570 kWh over its lifetime. At 8 cents per kWh, that equates to a $45 savings. The average home has twenty sockets. If ten are 14 watt springlamps and ten are 23 watt springlamps, your total savings over the life of 20 bulbs will equal $990.00.

Guidelines for selecting the right bulb

• Start with one bulb – CFLs are all different. Test one out and make sure that it gives the kind of light you want.
• Find watt equivalents:
  
  
  • A 9 watt springlamp = a 40 watt incandescent bulb
  • A 14 watt springlamp = a 60 watt incandescent bulb
  • A 19 watt springlamp = a 75 watt incandescent bulb
  • A 23 watt springlamp = a 100 watt incandescent bulb

We now have dimmable bulbs and three way bulbs.