We have just received a nice freebie from our energy company (SSE). Not often you can say that!! The gift in question was two energy saving lightbulbs (CFLs). They will come in useful when the time comes to replace the existing bulbs at home.
I’m sure since you are reading my blog you are well aware of energy saving lightbulbs and their benefits. It really is false economy not to be using these bulbs and I do welcome the UK government’s desire to phase out traditional inefficient bulbs.
I was having a discussion with a friend on these energy saving bulbs just the other day and as I was stressing to them some of the stock answers for not adopting don’t stack up.
Number 1 - they do not give off poor light! Early versions may have done but the technology has moved on a significant amount since then; and
Number 2 - yes they do contain mercury but over the lifetime of the bulb more energy would have been emitted from the power station as a result of using the traditional energy sapping bulbs.
It is estimated that using a energy saving CFL bulb will save you in the region of £6-7 - less than the cost of the bulb itself! While over the lifetime of a bulb will reduce CO2 emissions by about half a tonne (although this depends on how the energy to supply it is generated! Hopefully this figure will keep coming down!)