Earth Month Tip #7, Compact Flourescent Lighting

From the City of Seattle
Earth Day April 22, 2007


SEATTLE - Earth Month reminds us that we need to continue to take daily steps to keep our city and our planet healthy and environmentally sustainable. One simple step that can save significant amounts of electricity is choosing the right light bulb.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs use two-thirds to three-fourths less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.

While the energy used to run a single light bulb may sound insignificant, the savings from switching to compact fluorescent bulbs adds up. If each of the 330,000 households served by Seattle City Light replaced one ordinary 60 watt light bulb with a 15 watt compact fluorescent bulb in a light fixture that was on four hours a day, 22,000 megawatt-hours of energy would be saved in a year. That’s enough to provide energy for about 2,000 homes for a year.

Compact fluorescent bulbs work best in areas where you keep the lights on for several hours at a time. Outdoor fixtures, floor and table lamps, pendant lights and bare bulbs often used in garages can be great opportunities for using compact fluorescent bulbs.

Read the manufacturer’s recommendations for the best applications and those that are unsuitable for a particular design. For example, some bulbs should not be used in humid conditions or enclosed fixtures. Compact fluorescent bulbs should NOT be used in any fixture controlled by a dimmer switch, unless the bulb package specifically states the bulb is compatible with dimmer switches. Using a non-dimmable bulb could create a fire risk.

While compact fluorescent bulbs last much longer than ordinary bulbs, they do eventually wear out. When that time comes, remember to recycle them. Check out www.takeitbacknetwork.org to find a recycling location near you.

You can make a difference! Start by replacing one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb and then let others know of your commitment. Tell people where you shop and where you work that climate protection matters. For a list of other great steps to make Seattle and Planet Earth a better place to live, visit the Green Seattle Guide at www.seattle.gov/environment/cag/index.html.