Greetings fellow greenies! As the weather begins to cool and the days get shorter, most of us are going to be spending more and more time inside. We are also going to be using more energy to heat and light our houses. This not only increases your electricity bill, but it also ups your greenhouse gas emissions. Like all of the problems of which I make you aware, there is a simple solution to shrink the harmful effects. Today’s tip is easy — switch your light bulbs!

Compact florescent light bulbs are much more environmentally friendly than incandescent bulbs. Forget all the negative things you may have heard about the new bulb for a second. I know you may think that they are a funny color, funny shape, or too expensive, but it’s not true. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors.

The compact florescent bulbs used to be identified by their spiral head and harsh white light, but now you can buy CF bulbs that look just like incandescent bulbs. The other complaint is that they are too expensive. Yes, they cost three to ten times more than incandescent bulbs when they are taken from the shelf at Wal-Mart, but since they last so much longer they end up saving money in the long run. For example, a household that invested $90 in changing thirty fixtures to CF lights would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs because they not only last longer, but they also take less energy to use thus cutting back on electricity costs.

On the greener side of things, compared to an incandescent light, a compact florescent light bulb can save 2,000 times its own weight in greenhouse gases. So why not switch? As your old light bulbs need replacing, move on to the new environmentally friendly technology. You can save money while you are saving the earth. It’s a win-win situation. Go Green!