VST Platinum Blog

This article is the first in a list of practical things you can do to save money on your monthly electric bill. Get some new green products, and maybe use the extra money to pay for a little vacation.

Throw out all the incandescent bulbs

A Compact Fluorescent Lamp (or CFL) is a small circular fluorescent light bulb used to replace incandescent bulbs. They typically take the same amount of space as an old incandescent bulb, and screw right into the same socket.

CFLs produce light on a different principle than incandescent bulbs. When an incandescent bulb is turned on, current is sent through a wire filament. The filament heats up until it starts to glow, and the glow produces light. A CFL is a sealed tube of glass filled with argon gas. Mixed with the argon is some mercury vapor. When an electrical current is applied, an invisible ultraviolet light is generated. When the ultraviolet light hits the fluorescent coating (called phosphor) on the inside of the tube, visible light is emitted.

The CFL is one of a few green products to help you to stop wasting your money on incandescent bulbs. Even if an incandescent bulb costs less than a $1 at the local store, it will still cost you much more to run it. Replacing a single incandescent bulb with one of the new Energy Star compliant CFLs will save you around $30 a year and last 10 times longer. So let’s see one incandescent bulb every 3 months (4 per year x 2 years = $8) vs. a $6.95 bulb whose life averages 2 years, Hum

Many of the newer CFLs are available in a wide variety of shades of white light. The color varies from very warm (yellowish) to a bluish white light. This allows you to use the color of the CFL to set the mood of a space or room. Many CFLs come in “warm” colors to match the light of the old incandescent bulbs.

When using the Daylight or bluish bulbs be aware that their light appears harsh to many. People with light sensitivity could be adversely affected. If you notice them squinting or avoiding areas where this light is used, then try using a warmer light.

If you are confused about the “color temperature” and how it will look, it is really pretty simple. On the bulb package, the temperature will be listed in Kelvins (K). The higher the Kelvins, the bluer the color. So a 2700K-3000K is a warm/yellow, similar to a Soft White bulb, whereas a 3500K-4100K is like a Cool White bulb, and 5000K-6500K is a blue Daylight bulb.

To replace a 40 watt incandescent bulb, use a 9-13 watt CFL bulb; for a 60 watt incandescent bulb use a 13-15 watt; for a 75 watt incandescent bulb use an 18-25 watt CFL; and for a 100 watt incandescent bulb, use a 23-30 watt CFL.

Don’t forget that even though a CFL is one of the new green products, it cannot be thrown in the regular trash. In fact some states have laws that forbid this. I am told that a CFL contains about five milligrams of mercury, and should not be put in landfills.

When recycling your old CFL green products, places like ACE Hardware, Orchard (OSH), Home Depot and IKEA will accept and properly dispose of the old CFL bulb.

A host of new green products for outdoors, poolside, garden, and sidewalk lighting are moving to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. The new LED bulbs are 90% more efficient than an incandescent bulb. I would recommend using an Energy Star compliant system; you will usually have a longer time between bulb replacements. However, stock up on replacement bulbs - the manufacturers seem to change the design every couple of years, and then it becomes hard to find replacement parts.

One of the next green products will look at is small appliance power supplies.

Michael

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