Mommy Goes Green | Energy Star

Switching to CFL Bulbs

October 6, 2009

Did you know that lighting represents about 20 percent of your household electric bill? If you haven’t already, fall is a great time to switch out the light bulbs in your house for CFL bulbs and save on electricity costs. CFL bulbs use about 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs. According to the stats below, your household can be responsible for taking 2 cars off the road for 1 year just by switching all the light bulbs in your house to CFL bulbs.

Image Courtesy Switch the Bulb

Where to Use a CFL : CFL bulbs may not be the best choice for every light fixture in your house. They are best used in locations where lights are left on for a period of time such as kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and outdoor lighting. For areas where the light is frequently turned on and off, such as a hallway or bathroom, a CFL bulb will not be as effective.

How to Choose : When CFL bulbs were new on the market, they got a bad reputation for producing bright, white UGLY light – and they did! The good news is that CFL bulbs have improved. You can find the kind of light that you want, with a little CFL education. A little trial and error wouldn’t hurt either. I tried several different brands before I found one that I LOVE! I can’t even tell that it’s a CFL bulb. It’s the Panasonic Gen IV collection. Check out the image below – this will help you find the right type of light that you desire for each room. I personally like the warm white lighting so I look for bulbs on the lower end of the spectrum.

Image Courtesy Energy Star

Cost: Yes, CFL bulbs can be more expensive than traditional incandescents but remember that they last 10x longer so they pay for themselves in about 6 months – long before they wear out. For the best price on CFL bulbs in your local area, Switch The Bulb has an online directory, listed by state, so you can search for a local retailer or utility.

Clean Up and Disposal: CFL bulbs do contain mercury and CANNOT be thrown away. To properly dispose of them, make sure you take them to a CFL recycling facility – you can find a local one here. If you break a CFL bulb, make sure you clean it up properly, according to the recommendations from the EPA.

EDITED 11/2/09 – Panasonic no longer makes the Gen IV bulbs. These were recommended as a substitute but I haven’t tried them yet.

http://www.frontierlighting.com/product.jsp?part=7371&previous=14552

MGG Q&A: Washers and Dryers

June 25, 2009

Mommy Goes Green Q&A - A reader emailed asking about washers and dryers – she has 3 kids and is adopting 2 more so she does a lot of laundry!

Q: Front loaders are more energy efficient, but does the savings balance out the cost considering use, length of life, etc?
A: First things first – front loader or top loader, make sure to buy an Energy Star washer as either option will save you energy and water over conventional models. When shopping for a washer, check out the EnergyGuide label as it estimates how much energy the appliance uses, compares energy use of similar products, and lists approximate annual operating costs. Ratings are based on washing 8 loads per week. This is the best way to determine energy efficiency. Modified Energy Factor (MEF) is a measure of energy efficiency that considers the energy used by the washer, the energy used to heat the water, and the energy used to run the dryer. The higher the MEF, the more energy efficient the clothes washer. Water Factor (WF) measures water efficiency in gallons of water consumed per cubic foot of capacity. The lower the WF, the more water efficient the clothes washer. Front loaders cut water use by nearly 40%, meaning that you can save about 7000 gallons of water a year over using a top loading washer. According to the EPA, top loaders also use about 50% less energy than conventional top loading washers. The U.S. Department of Energy recently did a study in a small town in Kansas, where 204 older washing machines were replaced with front loading machines. Homeowners there realized an average of 38 percent savings on water usage and 56 percent energy savings for the washer and hot water heating system. To put that into dollars and cents, check out the EPA’s calculator. Using average appliance costs and energy and water costs, the EPA estimates Energy Star washers to have an annual operating cost savings of $46 over conventional washers. It also estimates a life cycle savings of of $276 bringing payback of the initial cost of an Energy Star washer to 2.8 years. Plug your own numbers into the spreadsheet to calculate savings specific to your household. Specifically comparing front loaders to top loaders, front loaders save your household $27 – $133 annually, depending on the temperature you wash your clothes in. An additional benefit : top loaders use less detergent.

Q: And what is the energy savings?
A: Front loading ENERGY STAR washers use 50% less energy than top loaders.

Q: And for dryers, by line drying, what energy/cost is saved?
A: According to TerraPass and keeping at our figure of 8 loads/week, you’ll save about $145/year assuming you line dry all your loads. Line drying also cuts down on CO2 emissions.

One last note – there are many rebates and tax credits available for purchasing energy efficient appliances and this can further reduce your purchase cost and payback time. Check the Energy Star site for those applicable to you.