Did
you know lighting accounts for about 20 percent of the average home’s electric
bill? This happens because of inefficient bulbs and poor lighting habits. There
are new light bulb regulations being ushered in to conserve energy on our
planet.
Remember a few
years ago when we were supposed to start phasing out standard light bulbs in
favor of CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs? The reasoning being that the
energy savings would not only help the planet, but also your wallet. CFLs use
one-fifth to one third the electric power of standard incandescent light bulbs,
and last up to 15 times longer. They are more expensive, but less likely to
burn out quickly as can happen with standard bulbs. A U.S. article stated "A household that invested
$90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the
five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity. Look at
your utility bill and imagine a 12% discount to estimate the savings."Like
all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury, making it difficult to dispose of
them. It is unlawful
to dispose of fluorescent bulbs as universal waste in the states of California,
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The US
Environmental Protection Agency has posted the regulations for disposing the
bulbs, broken and burnt out here.
Another
option other than standard and CFL bulbs are LED (Light Emitting Diode) light
bulbs. These lights are even more expensive than CFLs, starting at $10, but they
last up to 30,000 hours. The bulbs fit in standard fixtures, like standard
bulbs and CFLs do. You can also purchase LEDs in various colors.
Energy
Star is pushing for companies to switch from the standard watts (w) measurement
into lumens (lm). For example:
If
your old bulb was:
|
Look
for a replacement bulb that is:
|
Estimated
annual savings:
|
100
w
|
1600
lm
|
$17
|
75
w
|
1100
lm
|
$12
|
60
w
|
800
lm
|
$10
|
40
w
|
450
lm
|
$7
|
Light bulbs also have a “Lighting
Facts” label, sort of like nutrition facts on food. The New York State Energy Research & Development
Authority has produced a website on how to read these labels here. You can also get more
information about different bulbs here.
You can save up to $150 each year by switching bulbs to more energy efficient
ones.
If
you are coming to the South Buffalo Irish Feis and Business Expo on Saturday,
September 8, 2012, you can fill out a survey and receive a CFL light bulb for
free!
