Green,Light,Know,How,Your,Guid technology Green Light Know How: Your Guide to Energy-Saving Light Bulb

The electronic cigarette is not new. People who buy electronic cigarette knows that this product has been in the market for years now. Despite some sectors apparently trying to shoot the product down from the shelves, the popularity of elect Active shredder safety technology for the small office. Shreds 15sheets per pass into 5/32" x 1-1/2" cross-cut particles (Security Level3). Patented SafeSense® Technology stops shredding when hands touch thepaper opening. Designated shredde

It's human nature. We're always eager to explore the newest product,especially the ones touted to improve our lives. At the same time, wecan be skeptical about new product technologies, and it can be hard todecide what, and whether, to buy. This is certainly the case withenergy-saving light bulbs. The Energy Independence and Security Act,passed in December of 2007, started the clock ticking on the end of theinexpensive and reliable incandescent light bulb. While it's true thata few bulb manufacturers have flirted with the idea of nudging theenergy efficiency of Mr. Edison's classic up enough to meet the law'srequirements, it now appears likely that U.S. consumers will need toconvert to 21st century green light bulbs for most uses starting in2012.The mainstream media has been full of news about the coming light bulb revolution. In the last week of May alone, both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Timesran high profile articles addressing emerging trends on CFL (CompactFluorescent Lamps) and LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs. Since they cost more than traditional bulbs, most people buyenergy-saving light bulbs for two main reasons: they save money in thelong run and they're better for the environment. Specifically, becausegreen light bulbs use much less energy to produce the same amount oflight, they reduce harmful gas emissions from coal-fired power plants(which generate 50% of the electricity used in the United States).So consumers should immediately replace all their incandescentswith energy-saving light bulbs, right? Well, not so fast. Withlighting, quality matters especially in our homes where we gather,read, cook, eat, celebrate and entertain. There's a perception thatgreen light bulbs require sacrificing light quality. Don't believe it.Many eco-friendly light bulbs cast soft, beautiful light. And no oneshould feel guilty about not switching out every fixture containing aregular light bulb. Invest first in replacing the bulbs used mostfrequently. Savings will be bigger and pay back periods shorter withthis approach. And truth be told, there are scenarios where the bestbulb is the old-fashioned incandescent.7 Keys to Choosing the Best Green Light Bulbs for Your Home or OfficeChoosing from the many energy-saving light bulbs on the markettoday can be tricky. Gone are the days when all that mattered was bulbwattage and shape. By keeping these seven simple guidelines in mind, you'll be on a pathto making smart decisions about what to buy to meet your needs forenergy-saving light bulbs in this new green age:1. Pay more, not less - to save money in the long run,your new green light bulbs should be able to last for several thousandhours. If you buy the cheapest ones you can find, the odds are greaterthat they won't.2. Pick your spots - if a fixture is completely enclosedor is lit for less than 15 minutes at a time and less than two hours aday, CFLs are a poor investment. Low energy, mercury-free halogens areavailable that are worth a look in these situations. Wait until theexisting bulb burns out (or hold onto it for later use - see #6).3. Nobody likes the blues - the bluish light cast by manyfluorescent tubes is not appealing to most homeowners. When buying CFLsand LEDs choose "warm white" or "soft white" labels for color that willlook pleasingly familiar. Energy-saving light bulbs labeled "coolwhite," "natural light," or "daylight" are blue-hued and best fortargeted applications like reading, task lighting and exteriorfixtures, not for living areas, atmosphere or accent lighting.4. Dimming for dummies - most CFL and LED bulbs can't beused with dimmer switches. Look for green light bulbs that are boldlylabeled "dimmable." And while the industry has made great strides inrecent years, most energy-saving light bulbs do not dim as well astraditional incandescent bulbs. However, the big energy savings arecompelling for most homeowners. Making the switch to dimmable CFLs orLEDs in a busy family kitchen can be a real money saver, includingreduced cooling costs because neither type generates as much heat asincandescents. Last point: the dimmer switch should be compatible withthe green light bulbs you buy.5. Let's do the twist - spiral or "twister" CFLs are theleast expensive type. If these green light bulbs are hidden behind ashade (though not totally enclosed), buying a spiral lamp will cut thepayback period versus glass covered CFLs. 6. Stay out of the closet - most closets need shortbursts of instantaneous light. This is usually true of powder rooms,basements, attics and garages. Among energy saving light bulbs, CFLs inparticular aren't suited for this purpose. Traditional bulbs (or again,low energy halogens) are best in these scenarios until something bettercomes along. 7. Innovative, intriguing, expensive - mercury-free LEDbulbs are the future of lighting, case closed. These green light bulbsuse less electricity than even CFLs and they last 30,000 hours or more.However, current prices per bulb are as high as $100, which means thepayback period for most home-based uses is too long to justify theprice. If you are curious about this new technology and live in an areawith high retail electricity costs, you might consider LED replacementbulbs for one or two fixtures that get a lot of use (6+ hours per day).Re-read Key #1 before you invest in these types of energy-saving lightbulbs. Ignore the Naysayers - Green Light Bulbs Are Here to StayOne last point: mercury makes CFLs (and fluorescent tubes for thatmatter) work. Some serious people, including syndicated columnistGeorge Will, say we should avoid energy-saving light bulbs for thisreason. We disagree. Coal-fired electricity generation is the largestcontributor of mercury to the environment. Through reduced electricityconsumption, a single CFL will keep a lot more mercury out of theenvironment over its lifetime than it contains. Still, releasing anymercury into the environment is a bad idea, so it's important torecycle CFLs when they stop working. Recycling your used green lightbulbs is getting easier all the time. Visit www.lamprecycle.org forresources. Green light bulbs are here to stay. This is good news for our walletsand our world because the cheapest, cleanest kilowatt of electricity isthe one that is never produced in the first place. Become smart enoughto buy the right energy-saving light bulbs and don't look back. Article Tags: Energy-saving Light Bulbs, Green Light Bulbs, Green Light, Energy-saving Light, Light Bulbs, Light Bulb