Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs ("CFLs") are far more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, requiring approximately 75% less energy to operate than their incandescent equivalents. This is because only 10% of the energy used to power an incandescent bulb is given off as light; the rest (90%) is given off as heat. CFL technology does not use heat to create light and doesn't result in so much wasted energy. The U.S., Canada and Australia have announced plans to phase out the sale of inefficient incandescent bulbs.

- Did you know that the average home is responsible for twice the greenhouse gas emissions as the average car?

Much of the electricity we use in America is generated by burning fossil fuels like coal and oil at power plants which supply our homes. This process releases greenhouse gases. When we use less electricity, we decrease the amount of fuel needed by these plants and reduce the amount of gases in the atmosphere.

- Twenty percent of a typical home's electricity use goes to lighting, and this is the easiest place we can reduce our energy consumption.

If we replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL for every child in the United States, we would save enough energy to light nearly 2 million homes and remove the greenhouse gas emissions from more than 500,000 cars. An average American home has 45 light bulbs, imagine the benefits if we replaced all of them!

-CFLs are a bargain.

Because CFLs are so much more efficient than incandescent bulbs, a family can expect to save $30-60 in energy costs per bulb over its lifetime. (The higher the wattage of the incandescent bulb you replace, the greater the savings.) Also, CFLs last 7-10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs, so even though they cost a bit more, you more than make up for the cost with the 6-9 additional incandescent bulbs you never have to buy.

-Don't wait for your old bulbs to go out.

Switch NOW! Let's look at an example: You've just put a new 100- watt incandescent bulb in your beside lamp yesterday. It cost you $1 and will last 750 hours. (That's about 1 year's worth of reading for 2 hours per night.) Should you wait until your new incandescent expires before you replace it with a 10,000 hour CFL equivalent (about 23 watts) for $3.33, or should you replace it now?

-Replace it now!

Here's why: You're going to spend about $6.98 to power that lamp this year-assuming that you use the lamp about 2 hours per day and the going rate of electricity is 9.3 cents per kwh (in electricity costs, distribution fees, and taxes on your bill).

If you change it to the CFL, you're going to spend just $1.60 to power your lamp for the 750 hours, saving $5.38. Subtract the $1.00 you spent on the incandescent, and you've saved $4.38. Subtract the $0.25 you paid to own the new CFL for the 750 hours this year, and you still save $4.13 THIS YEAR ALONE.

We don't like to throw things out either, but you're actually throwing out $4.13 this year if you keep that incandescent instead of replacing it. (And then you're new bulb will save you $5.38 in energy costs next year and onward PLUS the cost of the 6-9 additional incandescent bulbs you won't ever need to buy.)