Saving the planet one bulb at a time...

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) are great: they use very little energy, give off very little waste heat, and last for years. Compared to a standard incandescent bulb, a CFL uses 60% less energy, saves on the production of 150-300 lbs. of carbon dioxide a year, cuts lighting costs by 75% and lasts at least 8x longer per bulb. With incandescent bulbs, 95% of the power used to light them is wasted as heat. If every US family switched to CFL bulbs we would reduce the carbon dioxide produced by more than 90 billion pounds. Unlike when CFLs first appeared on the scene, they are now widely available and are reasonably priced. A lot of concerns have come up recently regarding the mercury found in CFLs. Like all fluorescents, CFLs contain mercury and shouldn't be tossed in the trash when their day is done. Some stores, such as IKEA have recycling programs. Need to find out where in your community you can recycle your used CFLs check out www.earth911.org