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The days of grabbing any old incandescent bulb off the shelf are winding down. They may be a cheap and habitual choice, but the green lighting movement is underway. Making the switch to eco-friendly bulbs can be confusing, but without much effort, you can understand your options, make confident buying decisions and realize significant financial and environmental benefits.
CFLs and their energy-efficient cousins – high-efficiency halogens and LEDs – are desirable in many residential and commercial lighting applications. True, they cost more up front, but when carefully chosen they pay for themselves in energy savings (and in commercial uses, reduced lamp replacement costs) well before they burn out. Consider these tips when you’re ready to make the switch to eco-friendly bulbs to reduce your energy consumption and save money.
Making the Switch to Eco-Friendly Bulbs
- Buy premium quality – While, for most of us, light bulbs are a commodity, energy-efficient versions are more technologically advanced than old-fashioned incandescents. To save money with these lamps, they need to last a long time. Buying the least expensive green lighting option you can find, especially a “no-name” brand, increases the chance of being disappointed by premature lamp failure.
- Choose your fixtures wisely – The best opportunities for implementing green lighting solutions are with fixtures which are used more than two hours per day. Switching to CFL bulbs in particular isn’t wise if the fixture is fully enclosed or switched on and off frequently (trapped heat and frequent switching will reduce a CFL’s life). And if you have fixtures on a dimmer switch that you use often, consider high efficiency halogen lamps for their superior dimming performance. Plus, unlike a CFL, the more you dim a halogen lamp, the longer it will last (which reduces replacement costs and waste).
- Pay attention to light color – If you prefer a familiar “incandescent-like” light color, look for “warm white” or “soft white” on the label of a CFL or LED. Also, in the fine print, you may see a reference to “Color Temperature.” In this regard, you’ll want a number between 2700 and 3000K (K stands for “degrees Kelvin”) for warm white. For a light color that is more vivid, almost blue-hued, look for a phrase like “cool white,” “natural light,” or “daylight.” These terms typically apply to light sources between 5000 and 6500K. Some people favor this light color for lamps and fixtures used for reading or tasks or in areas where natural light rarely penetrates.
- Where eco-friendly bulbs don’t make sense – Certain areas of the home, such as closets, powder rooms, basements, attics, and garages, often require a quick burst of light for just a few minutes at a time. Higher priced, energy-saving light bulbs and CFLs, in particular, aren’t well suited for these applications. Continue to use traditional incandescent bulbs until prices fall.
Need help making the switch to eco-friendly bulbs? Contact GreenPoma or use our handy Bulb Finder for advice on finding the right green lighting products for your home or office.