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Lightbulbs and Energy Efficiency

EDISON HAD A BRIGHT IDEA WHEN HE CREATED THE LIGHTBULB, BUT TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED SINCE EIGHTEEN SEVENTY-NINE.  WE’LL SHED LIGHT ON NEW ECO-FRIENDLY BULBS ON THIS ENVIRONMINUTE.

STANDARD INCANDESCENT LIGHTBULBS WASTE NINETY-FIVE PERCENT OF THEIR POWER, GIVING IT OFF AS HEAT INSTEAD OF LIGHT.  THAT’S GOOD IF YOU’RE BAKING COOKIES IN A TOY OVEN, BUT NOT IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.  

SO TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, TRY REPLACING THOSE OLD BULBS WITH COMPACT FLUORESCENT ONES, OR C-F-LS.  THEY USE TWO-THIRDS LESS ENERGY AND CAN LAST TEN TIMES AS LONG  AS STANDARD BULBS.

THAT’S WHY AUSTRALIA HAS MOVED TO BAN STANDARD BULBS BY TWO THOUSAND TEN AND CALIFORNIA MAY SOON FOLLOW. DON’T MAKE LIGHT OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS - IF WE EACH REPLACED JUST ONE BULB WITH A C-F-L, OVER A HALF-TON OF CARBON DIOXIDE WOULD BE KEPT OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM.

For more information on CFLs, visit the EPA site.

To read Popular Mechanic’s test of CFLs, read the article here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org