Low Energy Light Bulbs

by HDME Staff

One of the most successful efforts toward standard household environmental friendliness has been low energy light bulbs. The standard light bulb had become an automatic choice for most consumers. Generally, purchasing light bulbs just meant finding the right wattage and price, while making sure that it was the right shape.

In most lamps, one light bulb was the same as the next. But then came “compact fluorescent” low energy light bulbs. They began as large, ugly, expensive products that didn’t carry much appeal. However, in a very short period of time, they became much more attractive and could be used in many more kinds of lamps because their size was decreased. Even better, for most people, was that with their sudden popularity came a sudden drop in price.

This lowered product cost meant that you could not only save money at the cash register, but you were also saving money throughout the year because they use only a fraction of the energy consumed by standard incandescent light bulbs. Moreover, they last a lot longer than the old bulbs, meaning that they don’t cost as much in replacements and don’t cause the nuisance of needing to be changed as frequently.

With all the saving and the fact that using these bulbs allows you to do your small part for the environment, the low energy light bulbs have become the new automatic choice for millions upon millions of people. It is an easy option, without any drawbacks that would cause any real debate when trying to make the decision between the incandescent bulbs and the low energy light bulbs.

In truth, the technology for the compact fluorescent bulb has actually been around for several decades, first arriving on the store shelves in the 1980’s. Even though they could save some money in the long term, the initial output of cost was so high for such an ugly bulb that virtually nobody bought them for their homes. When they became more visually attractive and cheaper to the consumer, though, that situation quickly changed.

The money savings did get the ball rolling, but it was the green movement in combination with the lower cost over time that truly made the sales spike. Governments around the world from Australia to England, Canada and the United States, are commonly encouraging the use of these low energy light bulbs and advertising their benefits for greater awareness.

In many of these countries, these new low energy light bulbs have become so popular that there are plans to gradually phase out the incandescent light bulbs. Australia, for example, plans to have incandescent bulbs removed from their store shelves by the end of this year.

The fact that the technology is always improving helps to make the availability of different sizes, styles, shapes, and brightness levels possible. They may just be low energy light bulbs, but over time, they’re making a tremendous difference.

The Big Question for YOU!
What’s been your experience with low energy light bulbs? Tell us about the type of bulbs you purchased and if you noticed a reduction in your electricity bill.