Incandescent light bulbs have ruled the market for a very long time, and now it is time other forms of light bulbs took over! Out of all the energy used to power an incandescent light bulb, only 5 to 8 percent is actually used in producing light. I bet we can do better than that. Let’s take a look at three viable options.

One of the possible replacement candidates is the halogen light bulb. This kind of light bulb is more energy efficient than incandescent light bulbs. The main drawback with them is that they reach a very high temperature and may damage your light fixture or even cause a fire. In order to use these light bulbs it’s recommended to use specific light fixtures made for halogen light bulbs only.

Another kind of light bulb is the fluorescent light bulb. These bulbs used to cost more than your regular incandescent lights, but now you can find fluorescent for cheaper! They use 60 to 80 percent less energy than incandescent light bulbs. The modern versions offer a clearer light and don’t take as long to light up as the older fluorescent light bulbs did.

Finally, there are LED light bulbs. These bulbs use a small fraction of the energy of incandescent light bulbs and have a lifetime 10 times longer. The main drawback? It produces a light beam instead of illuminating the whole room. Even though it’s the most efficient one, the applications of theses bulbs are very limited and will not satisfy most of us.

And the winner is: Fluorescent light bulbs! They’re your best option when you want to combine value, quality, and performance. Check out this link at Home Depot or this link at Lowe’s for eco-friendly lights. Purchase Compact Fluorescent Lights Bulbs at Amazon.com. If you don’t already own fluorescent light bulbs, what are you waiting for? Hard to find much cheaper ways to green your home.

[source]