Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Archive for the ‘energy saving light bulbs’ Category

Energy Saving Light Bulbs Help Save the Environment?

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

It is endlessly stated that incandescent light bulbs use vast quantities of electricity and damage the environment. Additionally the environmental activists have now lobbied government to legislate for the ban. This is a phased initiative to eliminate the use of incandescents and move to energy saving light bulbs. In this article I provide some data regarding how much you can reduce your carbon footprint by the change to energy saving light bulbs and how this economy compares with other C02 emission savings you can make by decreasing car travel or improved use of domestic electrical appliances.

Carbon footprint reductions from moving to energy saving light bulbs

You might well be curious how lamps can create carbon dioxide? Well they cannot and it is the electricity generating stations, which are normally oil or gas fired, which create the C02. Obviously if your electricity is generated by wave power, windmills or different green processes then C02 emissions will be very little. Lets now look at the data based on a usage of 4 hours per day and assuming you pay 13p per kW hour for electricity. In this case changing one traditional incandescent will save a phenomenal 100kg per year in carbon dioxide emissions.

Looking at the comparison with transportation and other ways to reduce my carbon footprint.

I am sure you are questioning if 100kg of carbon dioxide emissions is a cause for worry and also whether it is not possible to make these carbon footprint reductions through other modes as opposed to changing to energy saving light bulbs? In order to respond to these questions I will offer then following data for appraisal.

1. If you own a Ford Focus C-Max vehicle and you can arrange to drive 340 miles less every year then this is an equivalent saving as changing one of your bulbs to one of your energy saving light bulbs.
2. If you can alter your travel patterns to avoid 1000 miles of train travel, then this will save 100kg in C02 emissions. Energy saving light bulbs offer you a corresponding saving by just changing one!
3. If you fly from London to Glasgow on a full plane then this will result in the release of 100kg in C02.

Now with these choices then changing to energy saving light bulbs has got to be an easy winner.

Tags: energy saving, energy saving light bulb, energy saving light bulbs
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Making the switch!

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

How many light bulbs do you use regularly in your house? Including lamps? I just counted and I reckon I use 10 bubs for about 4 hours a day (we like mood lighting) and those figures go up substantially in the winter. Most of my bulbs were 100w bulbs and I pay about 10p per Kw/per hr for my electricity. I worked out that if I swapped my light bulbs for the equivalent energy efficient light bulbs, I would save over £120 per year. That is not to be sniffed at.

The cost of changing those 10 bulbs will give me plenty of change from £20 so what am I waiting for? I honestly don’t know. People are strange. I am writing this article to make me change my light bulbs – if I say I will do it that will make me do it. I have been meaning to for ages, but then the weekend comes and it gets put off, time and time again. But no more. This weekend is the weekend for me and some energy saving bulbs. I have already ordered them from the internet, they are in the post, I have no excuses left.

I wonder how many of you reading this are in the same boat. Keep on meaning to do it, but never finding the time? In the last couple of years when a light bulb has blown I’ve replaced it with an energy saving light bulb, but perhaps I am OCD, I just don’t like having a mixture, I want a pure-bulbed-house, not a mixture; it’ll be light bulb Apartheid around here this weekend.

But it is basic common sense – I will save money and I will help the environment, there is absolutely no reason for me not to do it and the fact that I haven’t yet has frustrated me to the point of writing about my frustrations. When I have spoken to my friends about this they all say the same thing “oh yeah, must get round to that.” I think it’s about time we just did it. This lethargy isn’t doing anyone any good.

We all want to help the world, we all want to ‘do our bit’ and we all want to save a little money, I can’t understand why it has taken me so long to change my bulbs. If you are like me, just make a promise to yourself and get it done.

Tags: energy saving light bulbs, energy saving lightbulb, low energy lightbulbs
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Bright Ideas Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Monday, October 18th, 2010

As environmental damage is increasingly on the social and political agenda, BLT Direct says that making a difference can be as easy as switching from one light bulb to another. Energy efficient bulbs may not be a new innovation but it’s surprising how many households have yet to make the change. Using an energy efficient bulb in the place of a standard light bulb reduces CO2 emissions and saves energy. In fact, if every household in the country used just one energy efficient bulb, the energy saved would be enough to light up Briton’s streetlights for a whole year.

If you’re still not sure about energy saving bulbs and how they can help reduce your electricity bill and do your bit for the environment, read on…

Why are energy saving light bulbs better then normal bulbs?

Energy saving light bulbs work much more efficiently than standard bulbs. A traditional bulb wastes energy by producing heat as well as light. An energy saving bulb however works more like a fluorescent tube. The electric current passes through the gas in the tube, lighting it up without producing excess heat.

Do I need to replace like for like If I Switch to Energy Saving?

No. Because energy saving bulbs work more productively they use around a quarter of the electricity. This means you can replace a normal 60W bulb with a 13-18W energy saving recommended equivalent.

Will An Energy Saving Bulb Really Save Me Money?

Yes! The savings from an energy saving bulb are twofold. Firstly, because they waste less energy and use less electricity, the savings on your electricity bill are substantial. Energy saving light bulbs last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs and can save you £9 per year in electricity (and 38 kilograms of CO2 ) or £100 over the bulbs lifetime.

Secondly, as energy saving bulbs are built to last, you need to replace them less frequently, saving money on the cost of new bulbs.

But Don’t Energy Saving Bulbs Cost More?

Energy saving light bulbs are more expensive than traditional light bulbs when initially purchased. However, in the long term the savings on the electricity bill and lower replacement costs make it a cheaper option.

Can I Use Energy Saving Bulbs With Existing Appliances?

Energy saving bulbs can be used with older appliances such as lamps. In addition, you can now also buy low energy light fittings which will only take low energy light bulbs. These use a ballast

Tags: energy saving, energy saving light bulbs, light bulbs
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Each to Their Own!

Monday, October 11th, 2010

Each light bulb has its pros and cons. Certain bulbs work better in different spaces of a home. Take a closer look at the different light bulbs to see where each should be used.

The incandescent bulb is the most commonly used light bulb and usually the least expensive. It has a warm, inviting quality and is complimentary to skin tones and psychologically appealing. Incandescent bulbs usually last between 700 to 1,000 hours and can be used with a dimmer; however, they’re not as energy-efficient as other options.

Halogen bulbs are a variation of incandescent. They give the closest approximation of natural daylight. Colors appear sharper under halogen light, and the bulbs can be dimmed. They’re a little more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, but are more expensive and burn at a higher temperature.

The typical fluorescent gives a flat, cold light, often bluish and harsh. It is a daylight-equivalent and cannot be put on a dimmer. There are many types of fluorescents on the market: warm ones, cool ones and special-colored ones. They typically produce more light and last longer than incandescents. Fluorescent bulbs work well to light large areas like basements or attics.

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) consume a quarter of the energy that incandescent bulbs do and last 10 times longer. Unlike the old fluorescent lights, CFLs are quiet, instant-on and have warmer, color-corrected tones. They can be used anywhere you would use a typical incandescent light bulb.

LED, which stands for “light-emitting diode,” is a lighting technology that is long-lasting and extremely energy-efficient — but isn’t ready to supplant all other bulbs yet. For one, these bulbs provide only directional light, not diffused light, making them ideal for under-counter task lighting, but not general room illumination. To overcome this, new models consist of large arrays of LEDs clustered together, but at prices from five to six times higher than CFLs, these bulbs are not for everybody.

Tags: energy saving light bulbs, leds, light bulbs
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Energy saving light bulbs take over

Friday, October 8th, 2010

Inefficient light bulbs are being phased out over the next few years – helping everyone spend less on electricity

Inefficient light bulbs are disappearing from UK shops – they’re all being replaced by energy saving light bulbs.

Energy saving light bulbs are compact, bright and available in a wide range of shapes – so the only difference you’ll notice is a drop in your electricity bills.

We explain why energy saving light bulbs are taking over, how much you’ll save and the benefit to the planet.

The savings: energy and money
Who’s behind the phase out of inefficient light bulbs?
When will the phase out happen?
Do energy saving light bulbs fit in ordinary light fittings?
How much do energy saving light bulbs cost?
Types of energy saving light bulb
How to make sure your bulbs are energy saving

The savings: energy and money

Fitting just one energy saving light bulb can save you on average £2.50 a year – and by swapping all the light bulbs in your home for energy saving ones you could save around £37 per year.

Right now, the vast majority of the 600 million light bulbs in UK homes are inefficient tungsten filament bulbs. By phasing out these inefficient bulbs, we could make a real difference to our national energy consumption.

Who’s behind the phase out of inefficient light bulbs?

The Government, retailers and energy companies are all working together to phase out inefficient light bulbs.

At the same time, light bulb manufacturers are working to change their factories, so they can produce enough energy saving light bulbs to meet the growing global demand.