Save and Go Green: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Compact Fluorescent Lamps, commonly referred to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or CFL bulbs, have become a popular alternative to traditional incandescent light bulbs. They not only provide you with a energy savings but they can provide a whiter light than incandescent lamps. This does not mean that they are perfect though as they cost more to buy and contains slight amounts of mercury.
Incandescent
Incandescent lamps are traditional bulbs that people have been using for years. It was what originally was perfected by Thomas Edison back in the late 1800’s. The details as how it works are pretty in depth, but the key to why so many people are switching from using these types of bulbs is that they produce more heat that light. Wikipedia sums it up nicely by saying:
Approximately 90% of the power consumed by an incandescent light bulb is emitted as heat, rather than as visible light.
This means that much of the electricity provided to a light bulb is to produce heat instead of the actual light, making them more inefficient. GE is currently in the process of developing an incandescent that they hope will be 4 times as efficient its traditional counterparts.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
What are they and How Do They Work?
Compact fluorescent lamp or CFL have been around for nearly an entire century, but have only been perfected and widely distributed since the 1980’s. CFLs work through a process by which an electric component called a ballast causes a gas filled tube ( or a bulb in this situation ) or emit ultraviolet light. This then causes a coating inside of the tube to be excited and emit visible light.
This process allows for the light bulbs to last up to 15 times as long as incandescent light bulbs, but can show signs of degradation as they age. They also use as little as 1/5 of the energy causing for a dramatic savings in electricity and therefore reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted. You can use my Energy Calculator to determine how much it is currently costing you to have traditional light bulbs as compared to flourescent.
Are CFL Bulbs Dangerous Since They Contain Mercury?
Compact Fluorescent bulbs do contain slight amounts of mercury averages around 4.0 mg. Regardless of how little this amount is, mercury is a dangerous substance and should be treated as such. Don’t get too worried and throw out all your fluorescent bulbs just because they contain mercury. Just be cautious when handling them just as you would with any other breakable item and there should be no problems. Accidents are inevitable and if one does happen, just be sure to properly dispose of the bulb as described by the EPA. As long as you are careful handling and disposing of them, they present no danger.
Which One Should You purchase?
There are many companies that currently manufacturer fluorescent bulbs and it can be hard to determine which is best to buy in terms of efficiency and cost. Popular Mechanics published a review of many of the popular fluorescent bulbs from brands including:
The report contains a comparison of how each CFL stacks up against each other as well as against traditional incandescent in both price and wattage use. One thing to look for when determining is that it is Energy Star certified. This will guarantee that it will meet the Energy Star’s strict standards thus ensuring that it will be long lasting and truly save you money on your energy bill. To see the full report by Popular Mechanics, see The Best Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. There are also CFLs in an array of sizes and shapes for any room in your house.
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3 Responses to “Save and Go Green: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs”
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I worked at a hotel for a while and while working there, we made the switch to mostly cfls in the rooms.
For the most part they were well received, but they do provide a different type of light. I actually think I prefer it, but some of the guests complained about it.
It is amazing how big of an impact switching to those types of lights could have if it were adopted all over.
I just looked and it seems like Congress passed a bill in 2007 that mandates the switch to cfls by 2014.
Led light bulbs are the way to go. Mark
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Great overview! I also wrote about how to properly dispose of CFL bulbs:
http://radiantideas.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-recycle-those-cfl-bulbs.html
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