The Environmental Benefits of Using Energy-Efficient Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Everyone knows that merely stating that compact fluorescent light bulbs help protect the environment and reduce consumption of fossil fuels is not enough to motivate people all over the world to replace their incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescents. In order to create change in people's buying habits and perspectives, you have to prove it to them. To that end, here are some of the main environmental benefits of replacing short-lived and inefficient incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

- Decreased use of fossil fuels-Over 50 percent of the electricity in the U.S. comes from coal-fired power plants. Although America has many coal-producing regions, there's hardly an infinite supply and in most cases, the richest veins of the most desirable type of coal have been depleted which means more energy has to be used to mine coal in smaller, less accessible seams.

- Less air, water, and soil pollution-If each household in the U.S. replaced one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, it would amount to the equivalent pollution reduction of removing one million cars from our nation's highways. That's a staggering number and very easily accomplished.

- Less waste in landfills-Compact fluorescent light bulbs last, on average, ten times longer than incandescent bulbs which significantly reduces the amount of waste in our landfills. What's more, new CFB technologies being featured by Superior Lamp Inc. are extending bulb life even further.

- Reduced production of greenhouses gases-Greenhouse gases cause global warming and impact the environment in countless other ways. Since each CFB uses substantially less power than incandescent bulbs, less electricity is consumed so less coal and other fossil fuels are consumed so less greenhouse gases are produced as a byproduct of producing energy.

- Increased environmental awareness-This is a subtle but profoundly powerful environmental benefit of switching over to compact fluorescent bulbs. When people swap out incandescent bulbs for CFBs, it makes them feel that they are actively taking steps to become part of the solution instead of the problem which inspires them to consider and implement other changes in their life to protect the environment and reduce their carbon footprint. These actions are noted by friends and family who then take steps of their own to protect the environment.

This gradually builds momentum and over time, more and more people think about how their buying habits and actions impact the environment and eventually it fosters a progressive climate where people make environmentally-responsible decisions both consciously and unconsciously. Since one of the most powerful influences on human behavior is how we are perceived by others, it only takes a handful of people making responsible choices to start a self-perpetuating trend of environmental responsibility.

These are only a handful of the many environmental benefits of using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent lighting and while reading this article, you're likely to have thought of several more. Compact fluorescent light bulbs may cost a little more to purchase but given the savings they provide to all of us through reduced energy consumption and their environmental benefits, it's a very easy decision to make.