Energy Conservation
through Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Making your home energy efficient reduces impacts on the environment and saves money, which are important components to sustainable living at home. Why does saving energy save the environment? Burning fossil fuels from power plants, such as natural gas, coal, oil and gasoline, raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and carbon dioxide is a major contributor to the climate change.

The next time you need to buy light bulbs for your home, look for compact fluorescent bulbs (CFBs) - you will be surprised at the energy savings! CFBs use 75 percent less energy to produce the same amount of light. An 18-watt CFB can replace a 100-watt incandescent. They last ten times longer. The life of a CFB is up to 10,000 hours per bulb, compared to less than 1,000 hours for an incandescent. If you replace one 60-watt incandescent with a 15-watt fluorescent and use it six hours a day, you could see an energy savings of more than $40 over the four-year life of the bulb.

Compact fluorescents are more expensive to purchase ($2-$10 per bulb), but keep in mind that they can pay for themselves in energy savings and they will last for many more years. CFBs are available in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, so you should have no problem finding bulbs to fit any fixture in your home. If you have a unique lamp or fixture, take the existing bulb along to the store to compare sizes. A general rule when buying CFBs is to choose a wattage that's about one-third of what you usually buy.

To save as much as hundreds of dollars a year on electricity, make certain that any new appliances you purchase, especially air conditioners and furnaces, are energy-efficient. Information on the energy efficiency of major appliances is found on Energy Guide Labels required by federal law.

A home energy audit can identify ways to save up to hundreds of dollars a year on home heating (and air conditioning). Ask your electric or gas utility if they can do this audit for free or for a reasonable charge. If they cannot, ask them to refer you to a qualified professional.