When it comes to lighting your home there are many environmentally- responsible options, all equally viable depending on the needs of yourself and your family.
The cheapest and more environmentally-friendly form of lighting is natural sunlight, leaving windows and skylights open is free. Of course, eventually it will get dark. So choosing the correct kind of light bulb to put in your fixtures is important. Currently there are three major options: Incandescent, Compact Florescent (CFLs) and Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs are the classic light bulbs everyone grew up with. They use the most amount of energy but they don’t contain any toxic materials.
CFLs use significantly less energy then incandescent bulbs, but they have a “warm up” period when turning on and can contain trace amounts of mercury. They cost more but use less power and last longer.
LEDs use the least amount of power and are the most expensive bulbs, but they contain no toxic materials and will last the longest, even longer then CFLs.
Ultimately, the type of light bulb choose to use depends on your priorities. Decide what is important to you, initial cost, energy consumption, longevity and toxic materials, and choose a bulb accordingly.Keep looking, there’s more: Best Light Bulbs: Incandescent vs CFL vs LED
