Guidelines for using Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL’s) and the new LED's:
1. Buy them, use them, spread the word – they save you money many times their cost and help preserve creation and everything natural we often take for granted now.
2. CFL’s (unless labeled otherwise) won’t last long in dimmable or electronic (motion detecting) sockets. Dimmable CFL’s are available and are labeled such: GE and Philips have been proven to be the best.. LED's are not hurt by dimming, but don't really dim much, unless they are the new high tech type: See a Utah company: www.craluxlighting.com Contact us to learn about purchase credits
3. CFL’s are best used in fixtures that are on for 15 minutes or longer. Thus, they are not ideal for closets, halls, motion detect lights or anywhere that they are on for just a few minutes at a time. LED bulbs do work here; they are not aged by turning on & off. LED's are great for lights
that are sometimes on for long periods but often just short ones. CFL's generate a lot less heat than the old bulbs, but can still fail early from heat if in an enclosed space.
4. CFL's are perfect for rooms you spend a lot of time in. If you replace all those lamps you will likely see a decided reduction in your electric bill. Timed fixtures should be also a great use. CFL’s are not best used if there is a risk of breakage. If you break one, no worries: move the kids, open a window, and use a broom. There's <4 mg (not much) mercury in a CFL. More mercury is actually put into the air with a coal powered standard bulb. The old mercury thermometers had a 100 times more than a CFL does. Click here for even more CFL info.
4. CFL's are perfect for rooms you spend a lot of time in. If you replace all those lamps you will likely see a decided reduction in your electric bill. Timed fixtures should be also a great use. CFL’s are not best used if there is a risk of breakage. If you break one, no worries: move the kids, open a window, and use a broom. There's <4 mg (not much) mercury in a CFL. More mercury is actually put into the air with a coal powered standard bulb. The old mercury thermometers had a 100 times more than a CFL does. Click here for even more CFL info.
5. If it is fluorescent and you will be back in 15 minutes leave it on (some manufacturers say 2 hours!). If it is incandescent or LED and you will be back in more than 3 minutes, turn it off!
6. For frequently asked questions about CFLs, mercury, disposal, and how to pick up the pieces if there is breakage, here is a very helpful link: LED's last 50,000 hours so it will be a while.
Something to think about:
The U.S.A. is only 5% of the world’s population, yet we consume more than 30% of the world’s energy. Each of us (on average) consume the same energy as 395 Ethiopians. We use more than twice as much energy as the average German. By using energy the way we do, we are doing an injustice to those in other, not so well-to-do parts of the world.
Utah Interfaith
Power & Light
Power & Light
Interfaith Power & Light Action Center
