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Save Energy - Save Money
by Jim Easterday

Do your electricity and natural gas bills take your breathe away when you open the envelope?

There are a number of little things you can do to reduce your use of energy and take the edge off some of those bills.

We're not talking about big cost items like new insulation or replacing windows but easy-to-do items that do not cost a lot, but add up to immediate savings.
Some compact flourescent bulbs are short enough to fit in a globe and have a soft white light

Do you still have incandescent light bulbs in your home? They are very inefficient. Consider switching to compact flourescents, it's easy and you will save money. They are just as bright if you buy the right bulb. Buy a 20 or 25 watt to replace a 100 watt incandescent bulb or a 15 watt to replace a 60 watt.

You might ask if they have that harsh bluish light you see with flourescent bulbs in stores and offices? Yes, some do but others have a soft yellow light that matches your old incandescent bulb. Look carefully at the package and look for either "bright" or "soft".
Other compact florescents are longer in length and have a bright bluish light

Compact flourescent bulbs last much longer than incandescents and consume one-fourth the energy for the same light. The prices are coming down steadily and you will quickly recoup your investment in new bulbs.

They are available in various lengths and some are short enough to fit in small globes.

Replace all your old bulbs. The only disadvantage is that they turn on at about 80% brightness and take about a minute to come up to full strength, but newer bulbs are overcoming that small problem.
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