It's Water-Wise Wednesday with Frannie the Fish! {Saving Energy, Saving Water: Part 4}

In the first week of the Saving Energy, Saving Water series, Frannie briefly mentioned that using energy efficient light bulbs is a good way to save energy and save water. This week, Frannie wants to share more about what she has learned on this topic!

Frannie with a LED, CFL, and incandescent light bulb.

Traditional light bulbs are called incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs are generally affordable upfront, but they have a short bulb life, and they consume much more energy than their energy-efficient counterparts. This can make them a more expensive option in the long-run.

There are two main types of energy-efficient light bulbs: CFL and LED. CFL stands for compact fluorescent lamp and LED stands for light emitting diode. CFLs and LEDs typically use between 25-80% less energy than incandescents, and they last from 3-25 times as long (DOE, energy.gov).

Frannie replaced all of her old incandescent light bulbs
with LED bulbs in order to save energy and save water!

It is important to note that CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury and thus require proper disposal. You can find a place to properly recycle your CFL bulbs at http://search.earth911.com/.

Check out this chart from the Department of Energy (energy.gov) for more information comparing incandescent, CFL, and LED light bulbs!

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Have you replaced incandescent lights in your home with energy-saving CFL or LED lights? Share your photos and stories with us here!