Many countries are joining the go green movement that's taking place all over the world, passing laws that that limit the watts being used in light bulbs and light fixtures. They are encouraging people to switch to more eco-friendly, energy efficient light bulbs and promoting light fixtures such as CFLs and LEDs.
Some countries implemented these rules so with such efficiency that consumers are worried about what to buy or replace common incandescent and fluorescent lights with. A lot of people are now panicking and buying all the incandescent lights that they can get their hands on.
This fear is also causing confusion on what replacement energy efficient bulbs they should go out to buy. They need to be educated on the different bulbs available in the market because they might be making a bad choice.
Currently, CFLs or compact fluorescent lamps are the hottest and most bought power efficient light bulbs. They use much less power compared to regular light bulbs and they last much longer. CFLs are known for their spiral shape and very bright light output. However, consumers should be steering clear of CFLs because one of their main material used to generate light, mercury, is highly toxic. Even though CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury, about 5 mg, it still poses a health threat and requires specific measures during disposal.
They need to give extra effort in disposing of these lights properly and they cannot be thrown in regular landfills. A much better alternative to CFLs is the LED light.
LEDs or light-emitting diodes have been in the market for as long as CFLs but have not gotten much attention. Unlike CFLs, LEDs don't use mercury to generate light.
They are commonly made from plastic, which makes them very easy to recycle. They last longer than CFLs and they use much less power to produce the same amount of light.
There are different shapes, sizes and colours of LED lights and they can be used for virtually any lighting purpose. From lighting up neon signs to flashlight bulbs, LEDs are the best way to go.