By Erica Rowell, Environmental Defense Writer, Editor, Producer
Quality was spotty in the 70s, but this is a new millennium
Apple computers. Punk. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). What do they have in common? They were introduced in the 1970s and are now back in style.
CFLs have improved dramatically from their inauspicious beginnings. They took a while to come on, flickered as they lit and gave off an unpleasant green hue. That was then. CFLs not performing well today is a myth—as fictitious as the urban legend that says Mikey from the Life cereal ad died from noshing on Pop Rocks. He's alive. CFLs rock.
Brighter, whiter, faster
Thanks to improved technology, CFLs are now like familiar old-fashioned incandescent bulbs (ICs) in just about every way. CFLs can be as bright, come on as quickly and provide warm white, eye-pleasing hues. They can even be dimmable and used in 3-way sockets. If you haven't tried a new-fangled CFL, go on, "Try it—you'll like it."
Plus, as their prices have come down and energy rates have ticked up, the savings keep improving. CFLs slash global warming pollution, too.
How CFLs save money and global warming pollution
Turning on a light taps electricity from your local utility. About half our electricity comes from coal-burning power plants and another 20 percent comes from from natural gas, so powering things on generally means spewing lots of heat-trapping pollution. These greenhouse gases drive climate change. So using less electricity means less global warming pollution—and lower electricity bills.
How much savings CFLs rack up
Crunching the numbers is eye-opening. Let's compare a 25-watt CFL costing $3 (a good average price) to a 60-cent, 75-watt IC.
Now, let's turn on both our 10,000-hour CFL and our 750-hour IC bulb at 12:01 a.m. on January 1 and keep them running 24/7 for a year. On December 31, our CFL has racked up extraordinary savings in cash and pollution.
| 75-watt IC | CFL | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | .60 * 12= $7.2 | $3.00 | Because the IC bulb only lasts 750 hours, we’ve had to buy 12 of them. The CFL, on the other hand, has over 1,000 hours left. |
| Energy used | 657 kWh | 219 kWh | |
| Energy costs (.10/kWh) |
$65.70 | $21.90 | Oh, to have this electricity rate! Very few places in the U.S. are so lucky. (Check your bill to compare your rate.) |
| Energy costs (.20/kWH) |
$131.40 | $43.80 | Here's a more realistic energy rate. |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution | 880 lbs | 293 lbs | These calculations use the national average of 1.34 pounds CO2 per kWh. State averages vary widely [PDF], from 0.03 (Vermont) to 2.24 (North Dakota). |
| Total savings from the CFL: $48-$91.80 and 587 lbs of CO2 | |||
What to look for in energy-saving bulbs
To replace a 75-watt bulb look for a CFL with these specs:
- 20 to 25 watts. CFLs use roughly a quarter of the energy to produce the same light.
- 1200 lumens. This minimum level of brightness provides what you're used to.
- Warm white (or 2700-2850 degrees Kelvin). This color temperature mimics an incandescent light.
- Energy Star symbol. This label indicates high-standards and ensures that the CFLs' claims (brightness, longevity, power used, etc.) are real.
Time to switch to CFLs and save
Bottom line: CFLs save you money and cut heat-trapping pollution. How much of each depends on things like your electricity rate, the energy mix your utility uses, and which CFLs you buy. (See our chart for info on other bulbs.)
Check out the Environmental Defense CFL guide to get started and see which CFLs are right for your needs. And then turn on your new Mac, crank up the Ramones, and dim your new dimmable CFL.