Making greener choices

Would you like to be more eco-friendly but you don´t know where to start? I know that sometimes it may be difficult to start doing something new and making it part of your habits. But, what if we begin with something simple? Remember: try with one step a time! 

I can assure you that whit this easy and simple action you will be in the right way to go green.

I’m talking about replacing your traditional or incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light emitting diodes (LED). Today, I’m focusing on the CFLs because they have a greater presence in the Chilean market and also because they’re cheaper than LED light bulbs.

First of all, we should know, what’s the main difference between traditional bulbs and energy saving ones? The difference is the amount of energy they use to produce light and heat. 

 While, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat and only 10% as light, CFLs produce light with 75% of the electricity they use. In fact, when compared to traditional bulbs, CFLs use 75% less energy.

http://inside.edison.com/g912 

As you might think, that waste of energy is money we’re throwing away. Lighting represents a high percentage of electricity consumption in households so, by replacing light bulbs you can reduce up to 80% of your electricity consumption. You will notice this on your bill each month. For example, if you just change the most used bulbs at home, you could save between 25% and 30% of electricity.

It’s true; CFLs are more expensive, but don’t worry because in the short term you will start saving money. An incandescent bulb of 75 Watts costs on average CLP 450, while the price of a CFL varies from CLP 2,290 to 3,290*. However, you should keep in mind that an energy-efficient bulb last 10 to 25 times longer than traditional ones. 

Let’s compare both bulbs in detail. Take a look at the following table:

	Average lifespan (h)	Use (W)	Daily use (h)	Use kWh1			Cost (CLP)
				daily	monthly	annual	daily	monthly	annual
Incandescent bulb	1,000	75	5	0.375	11.25	135	41.25	1,237.5	14,850
CFL	8,000	14	5	0.07	2.1	25.2	7.7	231	2,772

	Annual cost (CLP)	Market price (CLP)	N° of bulbs needed for   8,000 h	Total cost (CLP)
Incandescent bulb	14,850	450	8	18,450
CFL	2,772	2,7902	1	5,562

1: Based on an electricity rate of CLP 110 per kilowatt-hour (Concepción may, 2016).
2: Average price.

By just replacing incandescent bulbs at home, you can save CLP 12,888 in a year. Not bad, isn’t it? We’ve already replaced all light bulbs. What are you waiting for?

*Prices compared in:  Sodimac, Easy, Lider, Jumbo, Tottus.

Sources: 

http://www.economiaynegocios.cl/mis_finanzas/detalles/detalle_fin.asp?id=1026

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/how-energy-efficient-light-bulbs-compare-traditional-incandescents