Sustainable Shopper: Buying Eco-Friendly Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs

Welcome to the first edition of Sustainable Shopper! My aim for this new column is to educate consumers about the benefits of choosing eco-friendly products over traditional ones. This first edition will take a look at the benefits of buying compact fluorescent light bulbs for your home. This is one of simplest and least expensive ways that consumers can help to save the environment while saving money by conserving energy!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star website, Americans would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for one year if every household in the country replaced just one traditional light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb. The total savings would equal more than $600 million in annual energy costs. If every American purchased just one of these eco-friendly light bulbs the resulting reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be the equivalent of taking 800,000 cars off the road.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs use about seventy five percent less energy than the incandescent light bulbs. Consider that lighting accounts for twenty percent of the average household's electric bill and you can see that the savings in energy can add up quickly. A compact fluorescent bulb can also last up to ten times longer than a traditional light bulb. As a result, consumers will save about thirty dollars over the life of the average compact fluorescent light bulb. The bulbs are now available in a wide variety of models made to fit most common light fixtures, both indoors and outdoors.

The bulbs can be purchased at relatively affordable prices at your local grocery store or at most other retail stores that sell light bulbs and light fixtures. When replacing a traditional bulb with a compact fluorescent one, buyers should look for the one that fits the equivalent wattage of the bulb being replaced.

A common complaint about compact fluorescent light bulbs is that they are too bright, or that they produce a shade of light that is different than that produced by a traditional light bulb. But manufacturers now make a variety of compact fluorescent bulbs made to fit different consumer desires. Consumers should look for the bulb's equivalent Kelvin number on the products packaging in order to determine which bulb is right for them. For example, bulbs marked 2700K-3000K are the most common type, and are made to provide lighting comparable to that of a traditional light bulb. Bulbs marked with higher Kelvin number will produce a more whitish colored light.

Consumers may also find that they prefer to use compact fluorescent bulbs in combination with lamp shades or in light fixtures that help to soften the light being emitted. I have installed a compact fluorescent bulb into a desktop lamp with a stained glass shade and have found the results to be quite desirable. The usually bright tone of the bulb was reduced to a pleasant tone that allowed me read and type in comfort.

When your compact fluorescent light bulb does finally need to be replaced it is important to follow the following guidelines when disposing of it, as the bulbs contain a small amount of mercury. A growing number of communities offer recycling programs that accept compact fluorescent bulbs. The EPA offers an interactive online map that can help consumers determine whether or not their communities have such a program. Some retailers also accept used compact fluorescent bulbs for recycling. If such an option exists it should be taken advantage of. Some communities may also provide an area where the bulbs can be disposed of as hazardous waster. As a last resort you can double wrap a spent bulb in two plastic bags and place it into your outside garbage bin - if allowed in your local community. Never burn or incinerate a compact fluorescent bulb. A good idea is to contact your local waste management facilities to determine the best course of action.

You should also take precautions when cleaning up a broken fluorescent compact bulb. After a bulb breaks everyone should leave the room for fifteen or more minutes. Upon return, don rubber gloves and scoop the pieces of the bulb into a plastic bag using a piece of cardboard. Then wipe the surface area where the break occurred with disposable damp rag or paper towel. Always use something you are comfortable throwing away when cleaning up a broken compact fluorescent bulb.

Don't let these guidelines scare you out of buying compact fluorescent light bulbs. Like many common household goods the bulbs, when used properly, can make a safe and valuable contribution to your home. And they are a cheap and affordable way to help save the environment. Depending on where you live you may even be able to find valuable special offer and rebate programs to help you save money on these innovative eco-friendly bulbs using a handy tool found on the Energy Star website !

A growing number of companies now produce compact fluorescent light bulbs, including major manufacturers like General Electric. You can find them at nationwide retailers like Wal-Mart, Staples, Home Depot, Best Buy, Lowes, Sears, Costco, Target, and Ace Hardware as well as at many local grocery, office supply, and hardware stores. Find a store near you using Energy Stars store locator (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.store_locator)! Enjoy the sustainable shopping!