I'm sure there's some category of home lighting for which you can't find a CFL bulb, but so far I haven't run across it. Finding bulbs for more specialized applications such as dimmer switches or recessed lighting seems to be more of a question of looking harder and paying a few more dollars--although even the more expensive CFLs pay their way several times over.
PEC is encouraging people to shop at the businesses that are participating in Enlighten (see the list: http://enlightenva.org/) but if you can't find what you need at local stores www.bulbs.com seems to have everything. On that site, the bulbs are cheaper the more you buy. A number of people have let me know that they'd be interested in going in with others on bulk orders. If you're one of them, comment on this blog to let other people know.
Enlighten
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Can I get great light from a CFL?
In a January 2 article about compact fluorescent light bulbs, The New York Times suggests that the energy efficient bulbs "are to the nation’s energy problem what vegetables are to its obesity epidemic: a near perfect answer, if only Americans could be persuaded to swallow them."
At $2-3 a bulb, CFL's aren't prohibitively expensive anymore, especially if you consider how much they save on electric bills. The new genereration of bulbs comes in a wide variety of shapes and color ranges. You can find CFL's that work with dimmer switches. And unlike the first CFL's, the new bulbs turn on right away. Still, some people aren't too sure about them.
The Times article sums up the pros and cons like this: "A compact fluorescent has clear advantages over the widely used incandescent light — it uses 75 percent less electricity, lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. But it is eight times as expensive as a traditional bulb, gives off a harsher light and has a peculiar appearance."
I use CFL bulbs throughout my own house, the light suits me fine, and I appreciate the savings. But then again, I also like vegetables. And since PEC launched Enlighten, a number of people have contacted me about the particular qualities of light from CFL bulbs--about ways that it affects their mood or the aesthetics of their home or office. If CFL bulbs are like vegetables, these people want to find the best, organic produce.
For instance, I've learned that "daylight-balanced" CFL's are available for people who are sensitive to the shortage of sunlight in winter or just enjoy the qualities of fuller-spectrum light. These are more expensive, but I'm told they're worth it. If you can't find what you're looking for in local stores, you might be able to locate it online: www.bulbs.com carries a pretty impressive variety.
Since Enlighten got started, people have gotten in touch with me wanting to know how they can find the best bulbs for them. I'm hoping that as folks experiment with CFL's, they can use this blog to share their knowledge and experience, so more of us can get great light while using less energy.
At $2-3 a bulb, CFL's aren't prohibitively expensive anymore, especially if you consider how much they save on electric bills. The new genereration of bulbs comes in a wide variety of shapes and color ranges. You can find CFL's that work with dimmer switches. And unlike the first CFL's, the new bulbs turn on right away. Still, some people aren't too sure about them.
The Times article sums up the pros and cons like this: "A compact fluorescent has clear advantages over the widely used incandescent light — it uses 75 percent less electricity, lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. But it is eight times as expensive as a traditional bulb, gives off a harsher light and has a peculiar appearance."
I use CFL bulbs throughout my own house, the light suits me fine, and I appreciate the savings. But then again, I also like vegetables. And since PEC launched Enlighten, a number of people have contacted me about the particular qualities of light from CFL bulbs--about ways that it affects their mood or the aesthetics of their home or office. If CFL bulbs are like vegetables, these people want to find the best, organic produce.
For instance, I've learned that "daylight-balanced" CFL's are available for people who are sensitive to the shortage of sunlight in winter or just enjoy the qualities of fuller-spectrum light. These are more expensive, but I'm told they're worth it. If you can't find what you're looking for in local stores, you might be able to locate it online: www.bulbs.com carries a pretty impressive variety.
Since Enlighten got started, people have gotten in touch with me wanting to know how they can find the best bulbs for them. I'm hoping that as folks experiment with CFL's, they can use this blog to share their knowledge and experience, so more of us can get great light while using less energy.
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