New York’s Grand Central Station is one of the world’s busiest travel hubs. Recently, the decision was made to replace approximately 4000 incandescent light bulbs that fill the famous hanging globes with more efficient fluorescent bulbs, also known as CFL’s. As you may or may not know, CFL’s are proven to not only last longer but also use less energy. This is good for saving money with today’s economy. The change will mean a savings of around $200,000 a year for the Grand Central Station.

The savings in your home may also be substantial. A 2008 study found that replacing approximately 30 bulbs in your home could potentially save $1500 over the course of five years, depending on your electric costs. The only noticeable downside to these lights is that they do not light up as fast as incandescent bulbs, and react even slower in cold temperatures. This means that in places like your fridge, you may be better off not changing bulbs. For flood lighting, look to solid-state lights. You may recognize solid state lights, they are more commonly known as LED lights. Examples of LED lights can be found in flashlights, stop lights, and in the headlights of many new cars.

While changing your light bulbs over may not seem like the answer to global warming, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

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