The new lighting technology

Household lighting typically accounts for 10% of your electric bill. While this might not seem like a big number, consider this: if your electric bill is $80 a month, you're paying about $96 a year for just the lighting in your home! Changing your light bulbs can significantly reduce your long-term energy costs.

Traditional incandescent bulbs convert most of their energy into heat instead of light, wasting electricy on unnecessary warmth. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the other hand, convert most of their energy into what you want most: light. Both CFLs and LEDs are also designed to last years longer than the average incandescent bulb, reducing both energy and replacement costs.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLS) and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have risen in popularity in recent years due to their longevity and energy-efficient design. These bright, compact lights are designed to reduce your energy consumption without sacrificing light or productivity.

While Light Emitting Diodes have been around for decades in household appliances, computers and clocks, they've only recently gained popularity as energy-efficient alternatives to incandescent bulbs. LEDs are not cost competitive with CFLs. However, LEDs offer a number of user advantages, including better quality light, no warm up times, less lifespan sensitivity to frequent on and off cycles, and fewer (although still some) disposal concerns. LEDs are a great choice for anyone willing to pay a little more for these features. As they come down in price, they will become a great choice for everyone.