| Setting up a good green home starts with energy | | | | encapsulated globe instead. |
| efficiency. Traditional incandescent light globes lose | | | | Eco Home Tip # 38 - Recycling your CFLs - The |
| almost 90 per cent of their energy in generating | | | | typical CFL contains a minute 4 mg of mercury |
| heat - only 10 per cent of the electricity used is | | | | sealed in its glass tubing. Some manufacturers |
| actually going into lighting your room. And because | | | | have lowered its CFL mercury content to as little |
| of their various filaments and parts, incandescent | | | | as 1 - 2.5 mg. Handle your CFLs with care and |
| bulbs generally have a much shorter life span than | | | | take advantage of recycling programs for CFLs |
| their more energy efficient counter parts. | | | | to keep mercury from ending up in landfill. |
| Installing energy efficient globes is one of the | | | | Eco Home Tip # 39 - Leading by example with |
| most cost effective and easiest options available | | | | LEDs - Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are another |
| for a good green home. Some companies had | | | | popular energy efficient lighting option, especially |
| even traditionally given out energy and water | | | | to replace halogen globes and downlights in your |
| saving "packs" for people to try out. Nowadays, | | | | home. The small cluster of diodes can be |
| these energy saving globes are available | | | | arranged in a number of configurations and sizes |
| everywhere - so the question becomes, which | | | | to suit your home. LEDs have been traditionally |
| light fitting is right for you? | | | | found in electronics including clocks, and have a |
| Eco Home Tip # 36 - The lowdown on CFL - | | | | variety of uses in terms of producing a broad |
| Compact Fluorescent (CFLs) are the most | | | | spectrum of bright coloured light. LEDs are the |
| common energy saving fitting. CFLs use just | | | | perfect substitute to the more heat intensive |
| about 20 percent of the energy required for the | | | | halogen globes and last for over 50,000 - 60,000 |
| same amount of light from an incandescent globe | | | | hours and uses 70 percent less energy than |
| and last 10 times as as long. All in all, a CFL will | | | | standard halogen globes. LEDs are also mercury |
| help reduce the cost of lighting your home by as | | | | free. |
| much as 60 %. | | | | Lighting a home can account for as much as 20 |
| Eco Home Tip # 37 - Keep your CFLs close, if | | | | percent of a home's energy use. Energy saving |
| shaded - a British study last year revealed that | | | | lights are simply a bright idea for your green |
| CFLs produced a small amount of UV radiation | | | | home. |
| when used unshaded and in close proximity. Open | | | | Looking for more eco home tips and ideas? Visit |
| globes were of note, which "encapsulated" globes | | | | the Green Pages directory for more great eco |
| were considered safe. So if you're using a work | | | | home tips and ideas! |
| lamp with a CFL, keep it shaded of opt for an | | | | |