CFL lighting for the future
by Kathy Hancock
(Kentucky)
Compact fluorescent lights are a great innovation in efficiency, but unfortunately incandescent light bulbs are a difficult habit for some people to kick.
The development and promotion of these lights is a major accomplishment. With incandescent light bulbs being so economical, it's hard to get consumers to stop reaching for a spare box at the check-out. Campaigns to help people see need for a different type of "bulb" have worked wonders in sparking interest. Everyone I know likes to show off their current collection of CFLs. Front porch, kitchen, living room, garage, just everywhere, they enjoy the lights very well. Some people worry that the light source might be uncomfortable or not as strong as promised when compared to the traditional "light bulb", but the people I know don't seem to mind at all.
Switching to CFLs will obviously help countries that use coal to produce electricity, to reduce their damaging CO2 emissions. Because lights are so commonly used everywhere, not just in every room of a house but in store windows, restaurants, offices and so on, many tons of coal are needed to produce the electricity for these lights. Also, consider that large malls and shopping centers, that are so popular today, have few outside windows in their central cores, and also use lights in the daytime or in display cases and in food centers in the ice boxes.
Notice that Compact Fluorescent Lights come in many styles for the decorator in all of us. You don't even have to scrimp in style to replace your other light fixtures or their bulbs with the CFLs. You can find these bulbs in styles suitable for fitting chandeliers, desk lamps, table lamps, ceiling fixtures, recessed ceiling lights or bathroom vanity bulbs. You can pretty much overhaul every light in your own home to take advantage of the energy savings these lights provide.
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