It’s lights out for incandescent bulbs in the European Union, with a ban on the old fashioned light bulbs underway and aiming for full completion by 2012. While many countries have announced future plans for incandescent bulb bans, the European Union ban is the earliest widespread ban and its goal date of no incandescent bulbs by 2012 matches the planned start dates for incandescent bans in many places.

Instead of an immediate ban on all incandescent bulbs, the EU opted for a phase out that will see the worst energy offenders off shelves the soonest. The first incandescent bulbs to disappear will be the frosted incandescent bulbs in the highest wattage (100 watts), which cannot be purchased or imported by stores, although they can be sold until stock runs out. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) can mean the use of 80% less energy, and the change could result in an annual savings of 40 terawatt hours in the European Union—the same amount of terawatt hours used in total, annually, in Denmark. Click here to read more

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Awhile back we posted a video about the Gossip Girl gang going green and speculated that it might have been spearheaded by longtime eco-focused star Kelly Rutherford. Well, if her recent activities are any indication, this is just the woman who would manage to get a whole television set and cast to reduce their impact on the earth. Rutherford has recently been out and about promoting the new Micro-Mini Twist compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) from Sylvania–the smallest CFL available on the market–she even took some time to trim a CFL-shaped Christmas tree with the bulbs. While we have to wonder a bit about what kind of financial payout Rutherford is gaining for her selling skills, she has always had green goals and this seems to be in line with her mission (even if it’s partially driven by a paycheck).

The Micro-Mini, thanks to its small stature, may fit in some light fixtures that otherwise couldn’t house CFLs, but the important thing for saving on your energy bill and shrinking some of your carbon footprint is to switch to CFLs, period. If the Micro-Mini is the one you want, go for it; if you like another brand, go for that. It’s a small step Rutherford suggests as a great way to get started with a greener lifestyle. Aim to switch all the light bulbs in your house to energy-efficient models and then see where it goes from there. If you’re anything like her, you may find yourself eating organic, using only non-toxic products and driving a Prius in no time. Click here to read more

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Daily Greenz #152

1.  Okay, so we know you’ve heard this one before, but we can’t emphasize it enough: replace your standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs). Given that the average home has about 30 light bulbs, using CFLs would save about $200 a year and nearly $1,100 over the life of the bulbs. Plus, you’ll be reducing your energy consumption (and responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions). Calculate your energy savings on GE’s website.

2.  Stop buying plastic water bottles. The average American buys 167 bottles of water per year. At close to $2 a bottle, that adds up to about $335 – nearly a dollar a day. Instead, invest in a reusable water bottle and a home filtration system. Even at $20 for an aluminum Sigg bottle and $60 for a Brita system and replacement filters, you’ll have an extra $276 to spend on something else.

3. Clean up your household cleaners. Cutting down on the variety of cleaners you use reduces the waste produced by all that packaging, and choosing products made from natural ingredients with no toxic synthetics is much healthier for both your respiratory system and the earth. Instead of buying multiple cleaners for each different surface, choose an all purpose cleaner like Method All Purpose Cleaner or Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner. Both are biodegradeable, non-toxic, and derived from natural ingredients. 

4. Unplug phantom appliances. Many appliances continue to sip electricity while they’re plugged in, even if they’re turned off or not in use - think cell phone chargers. Make your life a little bit easier by using a power strip, so you only have to unplug a few times. This small change in routine can actually help you save big - Energy Star estimates that 40% of the electricity that home electronics use is consumed while the products are turned off. One Berkeley study concluded that you can save up to 25% on your bill. With the average American family spending $1,400 a year on electricity, that could amount to a $364 savings.

5.  Switch to a low-flow showerhead. We particularly like the Panda Rain Eco-friendly Shower Head, which basically conserves the water that’s wasted while you’re waiting until it reaches the perfect temperature. Even conserving that seemingly small amount can save you up to $75 and 2,700 gallons of water per year.

The average American can save up to $1000 a year by incorporating these simple, eco-friendly changes - all while reducing negative environmental impact.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Daily Greenz #51

In the day and age of instant gratification, even changing the world is getting to be a snap. 18 seconds is all it takes to change a regular light bulb for a compact florescent light (CFL) bulb, which can last up to 10 times longer, and save you and the world a ton of money and energy! These Energy Star bulbs use less energy and provide that same amount of light as a standard bulb. In fact, if every person in the U.S. switched just one bulb for a CFL bulb, it would altogether save more than $8 billion in energy costs, eliminate the need to burn 30 billion pounds of coal, and effectively remove 2 million cars’ worth of gas emissions from our atmosphere. So do your part in slowing down global warming by buying one from any local store that sells light bulbs or check out our lighting section to buy them online. Want to know how many others in the U.S. are buying CFL bulbs and changing the world, state by state? Visit 18seconds.org to see how your state ranks.

Powered by Bookmarkify™