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Change a Few Bulbs Featured on Oct 15, 2007

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Challenge Details

How many Rallyers does it take to screw in a light bulb? We don’t have the answer, but we’re working on it. Take Ben here at Rally Control. Not only did he change all of the light bulbs in his house and his girlfriend’s apartment over to compact fluorescent bulbs, but he got so good at rotating his hand in a repetitive motion that he got a second job squeezing orange juice at the local diner.

The Carbon Connection
A great way for all of us to start cutting back on our carbon impact is to use less electricity. About 72% of all electricity produced and used in the United States is generated by power plants using fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas). If we all use less electricity, that means the power plants don’t need to produce as much electricity. Less electricity means less burning of fossil fuels. And that means less CO2 released into Earth’s atmosphere.

Almost 10% of the electricity used in our homes is being used for lighting. Think about it. You probably have several lights in every room. Keeping them turned off when not in use is the best way to reduce. But, for those lights you use all the time, switching from your normal incandescent light bulbs to modern Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (also called CFLs) can decrease your electricity use for lighting by up to 75%. On average, each light bulb changed over to a CFL means 260 less pounds of CO2 released into Earth’s atmosphere each year.

Getting It Done
You can find CFLs at most hardware or building supply stores. Don’t be put off by the sticker price. Yes, CFLs cost more than standard light bulbs. But you’ve got to look at the long haul. On average, that CFL is going to last 10 times longer than your old incandescent bulb. And the CFL is going to use 50 to 75% less energy. You’re actually going to save about $30 in decreased energy use over the life of the CFL. That should more than make up for the upfront cost. (And remember how much less carbon dioxide you’ll be responsible for!)

CFLs come in all shapes, sizes, and wattages. If you’re currently using a 60-watt incandescent bulb, look for a CFL that has the light output equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb. And if you’ve been avoiding CFLs because you think their light is just “too white,” look for “warm white” CFLs. If you need whiter, cooler light, then look for “cool white” bulbs.

Rules of the Challenge
And remember that this Challenge is to change only 3 of your incandescent light bulbs to CFLs. When you accept the Challenge, you and your team will be credited 2.1 pounds of CO2 savings every day for the next 5 years (the average life of your new CFL bulbs). It’s a good start. But if you live in a house, you may have 30 or more light bulbs. Lucky for you, this is a repeatable Challenge. Come back later, take this Challenge again, and change another 3 bulbs! It all adds up, Rallyers!

Learn More
Energy Star, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Factsheet
Energy Efficient Lighting

See the Math
Let’s start with the known or estimated numbers:

• Changing an average 60-watt incandescent light bulb to a 13-watt CFL reduces CO2 emissions an average of 260 pounds per light bulb per year.
• The Challenge is to change 3 average incandescent light bulbs to CFLs.
• There are 365 days in a year. More or less.
• On average, each bulb saves you about $6 per year in energy cost. So, you’ll save about $18 per year by taking this challenge.

Now put all that together to get the following equation:




Your numbers may vary. Perhaps you’re replacing 100-watt incandescent bulbs instead of 60-watt bulbs. If so, you’ll be releasing 40% less CO2 than we’ve shown in the Challenge. Just remember to use only as many lights and with as much wattage as you need.

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