Earth Day 2017 has just passed and as a tenant of a rental property you may ask yourself, “What can I possibly do to be eco-conscious in my apartment?
Oak Park Aparments has one very easy green fix to help you reduce your carbon footprint.
Switch out your standard incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent (CFL – the curly bulbs) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. This simple switch can dramatically reduce how much energy you use. The technology behind the CFL and LED light bulbs has greatly increased energy efficiency, will lessen your carbon footprint and will decrease your electic bill to boot.
But how do you know what type of bulb to purchase?
Here’s just a little bulb knowledge to help shed some light on the subject….
The standard incandescent bulb not only produces light but it also gives off heat. It is the heat emitted from the incandescent bulb that “eats up” electrical energy.
CFL bulbs, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), use 75% less energy, produce 75% less heat and last up to 10 x’s longer than an average incandescent bulb. These bulbs are readily available at most stores for around $4 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by hundreds of pounds. The major con to CFL bulbs is that they contain mercury, which can be harmful to both humans and the environment if not handled properly.
LED bulbs last up to 50,000 hours (amazing!) – 8x’s longer then even the CFL bulbs. They contain no hazardous materials so they can either be thrown out or recycled, last around 15 years and stop over a half ton of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the environment. The major drawback to LED’s is that the initial cost can range in price from around $7 up through $50+ for a bulb (but remember to factor in over a 15 year life span you’d be saving $$ long term as well as being Earth friendly.).
So by simply replacing a light bulb or two every month you can make the world a “brighter” place (and greener, too!)
Just as an FYI: Home Depot and Lowes offer recycling sites for CFL bulbs.
