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What to Look For in a Lightbulb

Although there are other options, including LEDs and halogen bulbs, when it comes to cost, availability, and savings, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) still offer the best value for lighting. You can now find LEDs for around $20, while CFLs average from $2-$10.

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Lumen output: To maximize energy savings, choose the product that provides the most lumens at the lowest wattage. Energy Star lists common lumen equivalencies for CFL and incandescent wattages.
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Shape:

Triple-tube bulbs provide high light output in small spaces, ideal for desk and reading lamps.

Flood lamp CFLs work well for recessed and track lighting.

Globe shapes work well in bathrooms and above vanity mirrors where aesthetics are important.

Torpedo-shaped candelabra bulbs fit nicely in small light fixtures such as sconces and designer lamps.

Dome-shaped CFLs, similar in look to conventional incandescents, are a better fit for lamps whose shades clip onto the bulb.
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Kelvins: A CFL’s color is indicated by the Kelvin (k) temperature (listed on the package). Higher Kelvins, 5000k or 6000k, correspond with cooler, bluer colors, while lower Kelvins, 2700k or 3000k, give off a warm, cozy glow similar to incandescents. If the package doesn’t list the Kelvin temperature, look for descriptive phrases like “warm white” and “soft white.”
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Energy Star rated: Energy Star CFLs use 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs.

Environmental Impacts of Lightbulbs

Fossil Fuels

Wasting electricity carries both global and personal health consequences-and it’s a burden on your pocketbook. When you look at the combined environmental and monetary costs, it’s easy to understand why Congress set tight restrictions in 2007 on the amount of energy used by lightbulbs. By 2020, all bulbs must be 70 percent more efficient than incandescents produced today. Here’s why:

In burning fossil fuels such as coal to supply electricity to homes and workplaces, power plants discharge clouds of soot and other pollutants into the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide and mercury.

Many people are leery of CFLs because they require mercury to operate, but the amount inside those bulbs is tiny compared to the mercury emitted by coal-fired plants that power conventional incandescent bulbs. An incandescent bulb can emit as much as 18 mg of mercury into the air over its lifespan; a CFL emits 9 mg (including the mercury both in the bulb and that emitted by power plants).

Incandescents are also incredibly inefficient, using only 10 percent of their consumed electricity to emit light. The remaining 90 percent is wasted as heat. Halogen lamps also waste a great deal of power and generate intense heat that can potentially cause burns or fires.

Lightbulb Usage Tips

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CFL brightness decreases over time, but if you buy higher-watt CFLs they should maintain a higher lumen output for a longer period of time.
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To provide sharp contrast in workspaces and under reading lamps, buy a CFL labeled “daylight,” or with a higher Kelvin temperature.
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Repeatedly turning CFLs on and off shortens their lifespan: Install CFLs in fixtures or rooms you keep lit for more than 15 minutes at a time.
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Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, call your sanitation department or visit www.earth911.org to find out the best way to dispose of bulbs in your area. For tips on cleaning up a broken CFL, see “Concerned About Quicksilver.”
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Since CFLs don’t work the same way as incandescent bulbs, fixtures with three-way switches and dimmers require a special type of CFL that will work with those fixtures.
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Energy Star says that CFL bulbs save the most money in fixtures that will be on at least two hours a day. For lights that turn on and off frequently, or are only on for a few minutes a day (like a light in a closet), an incandescent bulb will suffice.

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