Compact Fluorescent Lamps—Why You Should Use Them
When you change a “traditional” incandescent light bulb, you wait a few minutes for it to cool. Why? The bulb is hot—incandescent bulbs can consume up to 90% of electricity as heat.
Cool compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are replacing incandescent light bulbs and in some cases, for example in the European Union, the use of incandescent bulbs will be phased out by 2012. CFLs have become popular over the last decade, but their existence goes back to 1890. A major change in their acceptance has followed the use of electronic ballasts that fit into the base of a screw socket lamp, which can be used in a standard incandescent light fixture. CFLs use only 20% to 33% of the power of an incandescent bulb with the same light output. For example, the light output of a 25 Watt CFL is the same as a 100 Watt incandescent bulb. If every American replaced one incandescent bulb with a CFL, we would save $600 million in energy costs.
CFLs come in all sizes, bulb types, and color temperatures. They are more expensive than incandescent bulbs but are becoming cheaper every day, especially with discount coupons from Puget Sound Energy. CFL lifetimes are 8 to 15 times longer than an equivalent incandescent bulbs and the savings in energy costs over a lamp’s lifetime is significant. Between 2006 and 2009 WALMART sold 260 million CFLs, with an energy savings equivalent to the output of 6 average power plants!
Older CFLs take a few seconds to warm up, which isn’t a problem if you are having trouble facing the day and bright light is startling. Newer CFLs quickly come to full strength and many are dimmable.
There are traces of mercury in CFLs, but not enough to panic if you break one. Old CFLs can be dropped off at any Home Depot, most Ace Hardware stores, and at Puget Sound Energy sites.
Many stores, including Costco and ACE Hardware, have partnership agreements with Puget Sound Energy whereby consumers can purchase CFLs at considerably reduced prices. For example, a five pack of 20W/75 lamps which are normally $13.99 can be bought for $7.99. In addition, St. Augustine’s has an account with ACE that gives the church a 10% discount. Thus, if you purchased the lamps through the parish Greening Committee you could realize a saving of almost 60% off the normal retail price.
We at St. Augustine’s can have a significant impact on energy consumption and will definitely see reduced electric bills by using CFLs. If you would like more information about the efficacy of using CFLs or you would be interested in purchasing them through the church please contact a member of the Greening Committee. Further, if you need assistance in installing CFLs in your home, members of the Greening Committee will help you.
Written by Grant Heiken, Member, Parish Greening Committee
Click here to read more about recent issues regarding the GreenAgenda
