Why I love the CFL in my life!
Even though they cost a bit more to start CFL’s are a good way to go. I use them in about 90% of my lighting. We still have a few standard bulbs that are still hanging on. When comes to CFL’s that are Energy Star qualified they can use about 74% less energy than a standard bulb with a life expectancy of up to 10 times longer. Sounds like a good reason to use them!
Over it’s lifetime you can save up to $30 in electricity costs. That’s alot of extra Mary Jane pumps to line my closet! I don’t know about you but I happen to enjoy not seeing my electric bill. Especially since it seems like it goes up $100 more each month of winter.
Having kids in the house you tend to get tired of saying “Don’t touch honey, that’s an ouchy!” And even though my kids haven’t (yet) touched a lightbulb or even tried there is always the possibility. So here is another reason for switching to CFL’s. They produce about 75% less heat so they are safer to handle. Not that doesn’t mean I would hand my youngest a bulb as a teether but still. If your kid gets excited and reaches out, he/she may not get burnt as bad.
One of the reasons I hear for not switching to a CFL is because they won’t fit in my fixture! Well, turns out that while gaining in popularity, CFL’s are always changing their look. They are available in many different shapes and sizes so they can fit into almost any indoor or outdoor fixture.
When it comes to the mercury in CFL’s most people turn away. They won’t go near the bulb in the store let alone bring it into their home. But here is something you may want to know. There is a reduction in the amount of mercury emitted from power plants when it comes to the low amount of energy used by a CFL. When you use CFL’s your demand for electricity is reduced. Less electricity= less mercury from power plants. Not convinced? Okay, how about this; the average CFL contains about 4milligrams of mercury. Incase you aren’t a chemist, that’s a very small amount. And even though mercury is a toxic pollutant, the exposures from a broken CFL are not likely to harm you or your family. That doesn’t mean that it’s okay to just throw them in the trash, or break them across your friends back. When you are ready to dispose of these bulbs there are proper ways of doing it. And if one breaks in your home, just to be safe, follow these guidelines for cleaning it up.
If you really want a super bulb you might want to check out LED’s. But thats another blog for another day.
sources:
energystar.gov
alternativeoutfitters.com
wikipedia.com
homerepair.about.com
treehugger.com