Save Money, Reduce Pollution, Make Al Gore Jump for Joy

The Sentinel's guide to ditching incandescent bulbs for fluorescent

By: Adrianne Dues

Posted: 5/29/07

Being the poor college students that we are, it is more than satisfactory to hear about ways that we can save a few bucks. After all, we do have to save up for our spring drinking binges (which start Wednesday afternoons, because it's just so damn nice out).
Nothing is worse than handing your hard-earned cash over American Electric Power $80.00 every month, as you sit in the fetal position crying at the very idea of having to stay home Friday night. So how can you save some money on electric bills and also cut down on pollution, without doing anything illegal? By replacing standard incandescent bulbs with energy-saving compact florescent light bulbs, also known as CFLs.
The average American household has between fifteen to thirty standard incandescent bulbs, which don't exactly keep the electric bill from going through the roof. If these same American households replaced just incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb, it would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions equivalent to the emissions of 800,000 cars.
These energy-saving beauties use at least two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs; CLFs also provide the same amount of light, and last an estimated thirteen times longer.
CFL bulbs will also give you between 8,000-10,000 hours of light, as opposed to the 1,000 hours of light produced by a standard bulb. Compared to incandescent bulbs, one CFL bulb releases 1,300 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide and 20 fewer pounds of sulfur dioxide into our atmosphere. Even if you purchase these bulbs just to save money for happy hour, you are helping your karma by caring for the environment.
If you really want those tree-hugging hippies to do a flip, you could even re-stock your whole house or apartment with CFL bulbs and reduce your energy needs for lighting by 66%-75%. This means you will be able to save $30 or more in energy costs over each bulb's lifetime. I'll do the math for you: that is at least three cases of Nati, three handles of Popolov Vodka, or for those of you with more expensive tastes, two drinks at BOMA.
So what's the difference in how the bulbs work? Why are they more efficient than fluorescent bulbs? (Warning: here comes the technical part)
Incandescent bulbs make light by passing electricity through a small wire, allowing the wire to grow hot, and producing light. Yet the unfortunate consequence is the creation of a veritable energy monster. An estimated 90% of the energy used by an incandescent bulb is spent producing heat, not light. With all this heat production to generate just one bulb, energy consumption is massive.
On the other hand, CFL bulbs utilize a gas-charged tube that electricity passes through. The bulb then creates a chemical reaction, which produces the light. The result is a cooler, more efficient light source that uses less power. CFL bulbs generate 70% less heat so they are not only better for the environment and your electric bill, but are much safer, as they reduce the risk of fire. Less heat means less energy use, less energy use means a lower gas bill and a lower gas bill means more money in your pocket.

You can also keep the same brightness that you are accustomed to with incandescent bulbs. You can use the chart below to match the watts in your incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs' wattage.

Incandescent Bulbs Beer Money-Saving Bulbs
40 Watts 9-12 Watts
60 Watts 13-18 Watts
75 Watts 19-24 Watts
100 Watts 25-30 Watts

Here are some things to keep in mind when purchasing CFL bulbs:
-You want to get the CFL bulbs that are Energy Star qualified. These bulbs will have an energy star label on the package. These are the bulbs that have met federal efficiency standards (and we all know the federal government only tells us the truth).
-CFL bulbs contain mercury, so one must dispose of them in the same manner as paint and batteries. If not disposed of properly, these bulbs will accumulate in landfills. (I only add this warning so that if a CFL bulb breaks and Cory the Cat eats it, I do not receive a sob story e-mail describing Cory's death).
-For the lazy kids who don't want to drive to Lowe's, you can go here and having shipped to your house/grody apartment, http://www.onebillionbulbs.com/BuyOnline, and purchase your CFL bulbs on-line with your emergency credit card from Mom and Pops.