Incandescent light bulbs have become a wasteful light source that is turning into a thing of the past. These bulbs often give off as much unnecessary heat energy as they do light. With new, more efficient lighting alternatives, more and more consumers are switching to alternative lighting methods everyday.
Compact Florescent Lights
While compact florescent lights are not the most ideal lighting source, they’re much more efficient than their incandescent predecessors. These Eco-Friendly light bulbs have come a long way from the original models which gave off an unusual blue light and were fairly expensive. Compact florescent lights can now be purchased at very reasonable prices and the light they produce is quite natural. They last an exceptionally long time, and use a fraction of the energy the incandescent types of bulbs do.
The only drawback to compact florescent lights is the small amounts of mercury they contain. While this mercury is harmless for regular use of these lights, it can be quite toxic when dealing with a broken bulb. Careful clean up and disposal steps must be followed when using these lights, so while they are incredibly efficient, they aren’t without their flaws.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
Currently, LED lights are somewhat more expensive types of Eco-Friendly light bulbs. However, if you choose to invest in these, they last surprisingly long and eventually pay for themselves. The light they produce is very natural and they use extremely small amounts of energy. The most important difference between these bulbs and the florescent lights is the durability they possess. They would rarely break and if they do, they contain no toxic mercury you would have to deal with.
Reducing you electricity bill with Eco-Friendly light bulbs isn’t the only function they perform. Because these light bulbs last so long, they produce much less waste material that will end up in a landfill. They also consume less power resulting in less wasted energy and resources. In addition to these types of bulbs, solar lamps are another option that can be used in well lit areas of your house and yard to give you the greenest lighting methods possible.