Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

The Light Bulb That Can Change the World

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the little-lightbulb-that-could dept.

An anonymous reader writes to tell us FastCompany is reporting on the latest and greatest version of the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). While CFLs of the past may have been efficient, they certainly were not effective. However, according to the article, CFLs have come as far as cell phones have since the mid 80s while still maintaining that high efficiency. From the article: "if every one of 110 million American households bought just one [CFL], took it home, and screwed it in the place of an ordinary 60-watt bulb, the energy saved would be enough to power a city of 1.5 million people. One bulb swapped out, enough electricity saved to power all the homes in Delaware and Rhode Island. In terms of oil not burned, or greenhouse gases not exhausted into the atmosphere, one bulb is equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars off the roads."

4 of 1,137 comments (clear)

  1. LED's !! by yakumo.unr · · Score: 1, Redundant

    erm, forget CFL's... more and more types of bulb can be replaced with longer lasting, and I think more efficient, LED replacement's these days.

    I am no expert on the matter by far, but I do believe the newest white LED bulb replacements, are more efficient, longer lasting, don't have a long warmup time like CFL's and also are brighter overall.

  2. Re:So... by alohatiger · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Last time I checked, they didn't work with dimmers.

    --
    Bigtime Consulting - "We're the best because we cost the most"
  3. Re:How many... by twofidyKidd · · Score: 0, Redundant

    No wait, that's not right...

    It might be... in SOVIET RUSSIA.

    It had to be said. I'm sorry, there's nothing that can be done about it.

    --


    Hades, PoD: Official Advocate
  4. CFLs by falconwolf · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I've been using CFs for YEARS and I love them. I have not replace a regular bulb with another regular bulb in many years.

    Same here. For more than 10 years I've only bought CFLs, and the last tyme was a few years ago. Now I'm just waiting until they get LEDs perfected. CFLs use only 20% to 25% energy compared to incandescent light bulbs. But LEDs use only 10% of the energy. However they are only good for spot lighting close at hand, like right over your shoulder for reading a book or newspaper.

    Falcon
    --
    Should there be a Law?