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.

Replace Bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

The abbreviation for Compact Fluorescent Lamp is CFL, sometimes known as a circular fluorescent bulb.

A CFL does not generate light the way an incandescent bulbs does. Incandescent light bulbs have worked essentially the same way since Thomas Edison invented them. When electricity is connected to both sides of a carbon filament, it gets hot and produces light. In CFLs (as with the older fluorescent tubes), a closed glass tube is coated with a fluorescent coating that glows when a current is applied to the argon and mercury vapor inside.

You have heard this before, but unless you are only going to turn on that incandescent bulb a couple of times a year, you are wasting money (no matter how cheap the bulb is). Green products help you save money. One of the new Energy Star compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) saves around 75% over an equivalent incandescent bulb. In one year, that could add up to a $30 savings – per bulb!

CFLs have been out several years now. Along with the bulb style, you can now choose the shade of white light you like. This can really enhance the mood of a room, home office or family room. The CFL colors vary from a warm yellow to daylight blue. If you prefer the look (color) of incandescent bulbs, choose a warm light.

Be aware that the daylight or bluer light often appears harsh and can have a negative effect on light sensitive people. You will notice they squint or avoid sitting/standing near this color light. If so just change it out for one of the warmer colors.

Look on the package for a number that ends in K. This stands for Kelvin or the “temperature” of the bulb. A Kelvin rating of 2700K-3000K is a warm/yellow bulb. A Cool White bulb has a rating of 3500K-4100K. A rating of 5000K-6500K is a Daylight blue 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.

Please do not forget to recycle all compact fluorescent bulbs. In some states, the law forbids the disposal of any bulbs containing mercury in the regular solid waste trash. There are about five milligrams of mercury in one CFL bulb, or about 1/5 the of mercury found in a normal wrist-watch battery.

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.

For decorative lights, consider choosing Energy Star qualified light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. The LED units are great green products and use up to 90% less energy than an equivalent incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light. I have been told that the power required to burn a single seven-watt incandescent bulb could power up to 140 LEDs! So wherever you used incandescent bulb in the past, replace them with a new CFL, and for outside lighting use the new LED decorative lights. This will save you money and reduce your carbon footprint.

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

Michael

Originally posted 2009-07-28 05:51:03.

If you're interested in making your own power at home, then why don't you Try Earth4Energy For Free? Also, have a look at our in-depth Earth4Energy Review. Thanks for visiting!

• A Little Short on Cash? by Michael Edwards Take a look at the energy saving ideas and new green products in this and the next few articles, and see how many you can use to save your hard earned cash. Then use the savings to fund a short vacation or a trip to Disneyland. Install......
• 10 Simple Ways To Reduce Your Electricity Bill If you are tired of getting those exorbitant electricity bills, then it is time you took some solid steps.  There are various simple ways for you to reduce your electricity bill, without sacrificing your lifestyle. Today we'll discuss 10 such ways. 1. If you're not using it, then turn it......
• Renewable Energy Sources by bangandkouppit Non-renewable energy sources are not effective, and cost far more than they offer in benefits. Fossil fuels formation is a very long process that occurs over thousands of years, and the reserves left in the earth are running out. Developing countries, including China and India, are requiring more......
• What is Solar Energy? by Walter Hull The Sun is like a giant power station, making solar energy for us each and every day. Without this daily dose of solar power, Earth would not be even close to the same. Literally the difference would be like night and day. The term solar energy is......
• The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Nuclear Energy by Lucy Grey The following article presents the very latest information on the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. If you have a particular interest in the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy, then this informative article is required reading. Investors hoping for growth will want to focus on companies......

• When Should You Upgrade Your Lights? Everyone who wants to save money and reduce energy consumption should inspect their home since many houses have old light fixtures which are in dire need of updating. However, many ask about when the best time to upgrade lights is. Actually, lighting needs to be brought up to date......
• How Efficient are CFL Bulbs? A Compact Florescent Light (CFL) bulb is now the lighting source of choice for households and for good reason.  In the philosophy of saving energy they line up nicely with current sentiments about green living and benefits for the planet. Some might not be aware of what these bulbs are......
• Ideas for Green Home Improvement There are a wide variety of different green home improvement options that you can pursue that are going to improve your home. Some of them are time consuming and expensive, but this is not true for all of them. Not all of us have the money necessary for dropping $15,000......
• Australia Bans Incandescent Light Bulbs - World Breathes Easier. Finally at the far ends of this earth, a country has done what no one else will...ban incandescent light bulbs. It is about time! They hope to be completely done with them within 3 years, and expect this change to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tons. I......
• Natural Aquarium Lighting The great majority of aquarists light their aquariums with halide bulbs or fluorescent tubes or a combination of both. Huge strides have been made in the manufacture of suitable lighting for aquarists. There is a wide choice of Kelvin (K) rating in both fluorescent and halide, and a choice of......