Although the crisis now seems somewhat abated, it really did have an impact on how we view resources, and how saving electricity boils down to not only saving money, but on a more moral note, about saving the environment.

We have all heard about how to save electricity and cut down on our consumption of the resource, but it is often difficult to do this. There have been countless times that I have stepped into a cold shower, because I forgot to switch the geyser back on. Yet there are easier ways to reduce your carbon footprint. A small gesture, like changing your light bulbs from the traditional incandescent bulbs to the modern energy saving type can have a massive effect on your electricity consumption, not only reducing your bill but also helping you to do your small part for the environment.

There are lots of facts and figures out there showing how a switch to efficient lighting systems can reduce global electricity consumptions. Here are some of the more startling:

Lighting is a major source of electricity consumption. In fact, almost twenty percent of the global usage of electricity is for lighting, and a complete switch to energy efficient light bulbs could cut the world’s electricity usage by a tenth. This amounts to more energy than is currently created from hydro and nuclear power stations. Also, the carbon dioxide emissions saved would completely dwarf those achieved so far by wind and solar power initiatives. Scarily, this amount of electricity creates roughly 70% of the amount of carbon emissions spewed out by all the world’s passenger vehicles, and three times more than that which the aviation industry creates.

So by making a small adjustment and a small financial outlay, replacing your old incandescent light bulbs can be a great way to kick start your eco-friendly existence. The traditional, pear-shaped incandescent light bulb was invented more than a hundred years ago by bright spark inventor Thomas Edison, and has changed little in its design and still produces plenty of the light in homes across the world.

The problem with this old-fashioned design is that it is possibly one of the most inefficient users of energy around, with only about 5% of the energy used actually being turned into light. The rest is turned into heat which dissipates into the air. This in turn heats the air and then cooling systems are required to remove the heat! Interestingly, one of the most inefficient bulbs around is the halogen bulb, which lies at the heart of the much-loved uplighter. The easiest way to switch to efficient lighting, is to replace all your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which are marketed in South Africa as “energy-saving light bulbs”.

Although they are a lot more expensive than a normal bulb, CFLs soon pay for themselves in two ways, namely they use much less energy to produce the same amount of light, and they can last up to ten times longer. It is estimated that energy-saving light bulbs can save up to 2,000 times their weight in greenhouse gases. Although many consumers have complained that the quality of light that these CFLs produces is not great, the more modern ones seem to have solved most of the issues, including a delayed lighting up time, flickering and creating a cold white light. Another problem is that often these light bulbs don’t work in systems that have dimmers or sensors.

Good news is that CFLs now come in a variety of shapes, shades and colours and in both bayonet and screw type connections, making it a cinch to replace your old bulbs. Use the following table to see which CFL you should buy to replace your old bulbs.

Standard bulbs .............CFLs
40W .................................10W
60W..................................15-18W
100W ...............................20-25W
150W................................32W