Ideal Bite

Want to make your AC more powerful without touching the knob? Stop heating your house with your light bulbs.

08.02.2005

Submitted by idealbite on Tue, 08/02/2005 - 5:00pm.

The Bite:

Your regular light bulbs (which are most likely incandescent lights) are really little heaters - they convert just 10% of their electricity usage to light, while the rest is turned into heat. So - look for Compact Florescent Light bulbs (CFLs) instead of your regular bulbs, and start saving money and energy.

The Benefits:

Save energy: CFLs are some of the most efficient lights available - they can replace incandescent bulbs that are roughly 3 to 4 times their wattage, saving up to 75% of your lighting energy.
Save money: CFL technologies developed during the past 10 years can help us cut lighting costs 30% to 60% while enhancing lighting quality and reducing environmental impact. US households spend about 1/4 of their electricity budget on lighting - that's more than $37 billion annually.
They work in your existing fixtures - no need to replace your current setup.

Personally Speaking:

Basic light bulbs have always been one of those generic purchases for us - the things you just pick up, never thinking about brand or comparison shopping, simply buying what was cheapest. But once we realized that we would have to make fewer trips to the hardware store, we started looking for CFL lighting. Now each time a bulb goes, we're replacing with the better version.

Wanna Try:

Look for bulb styles that are 2700K to simulate incandescent bulbs, or 5000K or greater if you want to simulate daylight (warning- daylight is pretty bright...).
Fresh 2 - Our favorite: not only do you get energy-efficient lighting, these bulbs remove odors in your home! $19.95 for 2.
Lighting Superstore - for UK readers, a great resource with CFL options.
Costco sells them in packs of 4 for $10.

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm

Cocktail Fact

Contrary to popular belief, Edison didn't invent the light bulb, but improved upon an idea that had been around for 50 years.

Bang For The Bite

Regular incandescent bulbs cost around $1.50, while a compact florescent light bulb can cost up to $14. So why the high ranking with the high cost? They last up to 10 times longer, and save you on your electric bill.

0 comments