• Revisiting CFL’s

    In case you didn’t know, the intensely-debated energy bill which Congress passed and President Bush signed on December 19th requires  that all light bulbs sold in the United States beginning in 2012 will  have to use 25 to 30% less energy than the incandescent light bulbs on store shelves today. And you know what that means: even more CFLs. CFLs, or compact fluorescent light bulbs, use 70% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last longer then them as well, greatly offsetting the CFLs’ slightly larger upfront costs. However, according to a recent New York Times article, the avoidance of CFLs may have nothing to do with cost: some people just don’t like their luminescence, instead favoring the “warm glow” of more traditional incandescent bulbs. A partial solution at least is here; it is the results of a somewhat unscientific study by the Times which ascertained the five most incandescent-like bulbs on the market. All bulbs comply with the impending federal efficiency standards.

    On a side note, CFLs also emit significantly less heat than incandescent bulbs. If you’re stuck in a hot dorm room, consider investing in some of these CFLs (or just calling Carleton Facilities, who will give you CFLs for FREE) to help cool down your room.