Switching from traditional light bulbs (called incandescent) to CFLs is an effective, simple change everyone can make right now. Making this change will help to use less electricity at home and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lighting accounts for close to 20% of the average home's electric bill.
Energy Star Qualified Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
- Use 75% less electricity
- Last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs
- Will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months
If every American home replaced one light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes a year. That would prevent the release of greenhouse gas emissions equal to about 800,000 cars!
Facts from Energy Star
- Please recycle spent lamps.
Although you can dispose of CFLs in your regular waste stream, we strongly encourage recycling spent lamps through programs such as the Home Depot recycling program, Waste Management recycling program, local recycling centers, or Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Contact List (PDF). Please check with your local recycling center or HHW facility for disposal options. If your local recycling center or HHW facility does not accept CFLs and regular trash is your only option, seal the used CFL in two plastic bags and place it in the regular trash.
Businesses that generate spent lamps may be subject to stringent disposal requirements. For more information on these requirements, please see the Spent Fluorescent Lamps Containing Mercury - Technical Guidance Document #HW-1995-G1 (PDF).