Go Green Lights!

Change a light, change the world with CFL.

My family decided to go green. We took out all of our incandescent light bulbs and replaced them with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)—every bulb in the house!

Because we did that we are saving money, but more importantly we are helping save the planet.

CFLs are four times more efficient then normal bulbs and last 10 times longer, according to energystar.gov. If everyone in the U.S. started using CFLs we could retire 90 average power plants, according to the web site, which is a joint site with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. The site has lots of cool ways to save energy in your home!

According to energystar.gov's statistics, if everyone in the U.S. started using CFLs we could save enough energy to light 3 million houses for a year. It would also prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas from being released into the environment each year. That's the equivalent of the emissions from about 800,000 automobiles.

CFL lights cost more then normal light bulbs, but they last longer. That's why my family decided to go green by replacing all our bulbs with more energy efficient CFLs!

What is your family doing to go green for Earth Day? What about your school? Send us your stories and tips on how to help save the planet. Use the comment box below!

—Alysa Goethe

PHOTO: Alysa Goethe holds an incandescent bulb (round) in her right hand and a CFL (curly) in her left . (Photo Courtesy Alysa Goethe)

Comments

[Maya]

I love your article! Nice facts! My school turned off all of the lights and used only the skylights yesterday to help the planet!

[Benjamin]

That is very cool, I am also trying to get my family to change to the CLF light bulbs. It is very cool for your whole family to go green.

[Miguel]

Wow! We could retire 90 power plants. we should all use CFL light bulbs. Maybe the government should make the other kind of light bulbs illegal so we end up retiring power plants. I am going to tell my family to switch.