When you change to more energy friendly fluorescent light bulbs, is it better to use up the regular bulbs 1st?

Question

or go ahead and change to the fluorescent?

Answer 1

I'm not changing.  I am stocking up on standard bulbs.  Others are too.

Answer 2

I'm using up the regular bulbs first, and only buying the energy efficient ones as replacements.  This gradual transition is mainly to conserve my own pocketbook, not the environment.    I don't want to waste the money I've already spent on the regular bulbs, and I don't want to shell out the money up front to purchase enough CFLs for my whole property at once.

If you can afford to do so, it's probably better for the environment to give your regular bulbs to someone who won't change to CFLs.  That way, you aren't contributing to extra waste in the landfill, and you can start using the energy-efficient ones right away. This will mean less energy usage by you, and less goods consumed by the person to whom you give the regular bulbs (since the bulbs were already purchased anyway, it lessens purchases of regular bulbs by the person to whom they're given).

Whether you go for a gradual change or all out immediately, you're moving in the right direction.

A word of advice:  buy different shades of light bulbs in just a couple packages at first, and find out which you like the best.  Most bulbs are a warm yellow light, and I prefer the cool bluish light, which seems brighter to me.  

Look on the package for its K rating, and try both before you buy any large quantity of one kind.  More info here:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cf...

I've found the lower K light bulbs available about everywhere, and the higher K light bulbs only at stores like Home Depot.

Answer 3

Go ahead and replace the bulbs... then sell/give your old bulbs to crafters to paint for home decorations.. I have a great book for painting lightbulbs to look like ghosts, pumpkins and other holiday novelties.

There is a series of books out with patterns/instructions for all kinds of painted lightbulbs. It is really cute...called "Watts Happening", et al, by Sandy Holman.

http://www.holmanpublications.com/store/...

There are some painted bulbs in here (snowmen, etc)

http://ava7.com/2006/11/funny-cool-and-a...

This guy does fun stuff with old bulbs:

http://davidscrimshaw.blogspot.com/2007/...

Go to http://www.voy.com/54161 and look at 'Painted Lightbulbs'- Alma. She's posted pictures of some Easter bunnies, bugs, chicks and more.

Answer 4

Use the cf's and save the old ones just in case you need them in an emergency

Answer 5

i've been changing mine as they die. even if you don't care about the environment, they do last longer and save electricity which saves money for anyone paying a utilities bill in the long run.

and the person who said this is all 'hippy talk' is ignorant... global warming is real

Answer 6

hahah my little brother would even know the answere

realy if your going to ask a question like that ask your dad or your mom

all this energy b.s and diff light bulbs

and saveing the world from the global warming

THAT IS FOR HIPPIES AND IS A BUNCH OF B.S

your welcome for the best answere you can get

Answer 7

If it were me I'd replace the regular bulbs with the energy savers when they burn out. It seems to make more sense that way.

Answer 8

I didn't wait for mine to burn out. I have a bucket full of old Edison/incandescent bulbs that I'm not using since I upgraded to CFL's. I'm looking for a good home for them. My reasoning was: Why do I want to pay for the additional power that they use while I wait for them to fail when I can start the savings now?

Timothy D.

West Melbourne, FL

Answer 9

Switch now. The saving of energy used is significant. To leave them in until they burn out uses up much more electricity than the efficient kind. About the landfill argument, if you use it til it burns it will end up in the landfill too.  Also in the garbage can it will probably crack into thin slivers of glass that hardly take up room. Landfills do not contain whole light bulbs. any bulb that made it that far whole is long crushed by the weight of stuff over it.

Answer 10

I agree if you switch them out for the new and throw the old away you are just adding to a landfill. And if you did decide to switch out the usable old bulbs you should donate them so at least someone will put them to use.

http://badhuman.wordpress.com

Answer 11

I would change it asap

I would rather help the enviroment as soon as I can and waste a little bit of bulb life

Answer 12

You should probably use them up, but I've been taking out half-lived bulbs and replacing them, just because it gives me a nice reminder to be green, and gives me the right message. At this point, individual lighting changes are pretty inconsequential, so it is sometimes more for the message it gives than the reduction of energy.

Answer 13

Use the regular ones only in winter until they burn out. They put out a lot of heat, which is where all the extra electricity that they use goes instead of into the light. In summer they just make the A/C work harder but in winter they help heat the house.