2007-09-30 11:44:25 · 5 answers · asked by linda t 1 in Environment ➔ Green Living
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2007-09-30 11:59:27 · answer #1 · answered by Brian R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what you are trying to save. If you are trying to save American Jobs then the savings is in the negative numbers. Conventional bulbs were made in the US but CFL's are made in China.
If you are trying to save the environment then you are in the negative again. Vast areas around CFL factories in China are so polluted that weeds won't even grow there for many years to come.
If you are trying to make a healthy choice then CFL's are a bad bet again. Each one contains a little mercury. Break one, it's not a big thing but over the years about 1 out of 10 CFLs get broken rather than recycled and just like tuna fish the mercury levels will build up.
If you are trying to save energy then remember to count ALL the energy involved: Energy to make the CFL's, energy to ship them 10,000 miles, energy used driving around looking for the best prices on CFL's and finally the energy required to find a recycler that accepts CFL's and the fuel to get your CFL's to that recycler.
If you are trying to save money then keep your 4/$1 American made bulbs and turn your computer off at night when you do not use it. Running a P/C 24/7 is the equivalent of running 5 100 watt bulbs all day every day-try and replace those bulbs with CFL's!
2007-09-30 16:37:17 · answer #2 · answered by newsgirlinos2 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those bulbs use less electricity so they save you money that way. They also don't get as hot, so in summer they reduce the load on your air conditioner, saving more money. They save you much more money is lower electric bills than you pay to buy them.
For example, a dozen 13 watt CFLs costs $19.76 at Walmart makes as much light at a dozen 60 watt regular bulbs. The dozen regular bulbs would use 720 watts compared to 156 for the CFLs; a savings of 564 watts. That will save you 0.564 kWh of electricity for every hour that they are on. My electricity costs $0.085 per kWh, so my electricity savings is 4.79 cents per hour. So I have to have the lights on for 412 hours to save the price of the bulbs. These bulbs last much longer than 412 hours before they burn out. After that it is just money in the bank!
2007-09-30 12:19:12 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't save me anything. Since they contain mercury, my nearest recycling area is 600 miles away and they can not go in the trash. If you break one of them lights you have to call the local hazard materials hot line and I do not rick my 11 month old life on mercury.
2007-10-03 11:04:03 · answer #4 · answered by $1,539,684,631,121 Clinton Debt 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I changed all my lightbulbs to CFLs (I assume that is what you mean) and my electric bill went down about $10 a month.
Kim at: http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com
2007-10-01 06:31:49 · answer #5 · answered by kpaschke 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋