If you like easy, low-effort (aka lazy!) options as much as I do, making the switch to LED bulbs is for you!

In this post, I’ll give you the scoop on why you should switch to LED bulbs and, as promised, a super EASY way to do it!

Electricity Use In Your Home

According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2009 US homes on average used 34.6% of their total electricity on appliances, electronics, and lighting.   That’s a pretty big chunk…and one that is worth looking at a little closer.

Sometime this week, dig out or go online to get a copy of your most recent electricity bill. If you haven’t taken a close look (like I hadn’t!) read through it and make sure you have a basic understanding.

You should see total kilowatt hours used for the period, on and off-peak usage and/or winter vs. summer rates. You will likely also see your usage for the previous 12 months.

It’s great to see the big picture for your home and your family. And, this baseline data is great to have handy to check back in on from time to time to see how your energy saving efforts are paying off – and how a switch to LED bulbs makes a difference!

Resources Used to Generate Electricity

In many cases, families don’t have a lot of choices about where their electricity comes from. Where I live, unless I specifically choose renewable energy, my electricity is generated using 96% non-renewable sources.

[Check out my post, ” Why You Need To Find Out If You Can Choose Renewable Energy” to find out if YOU can choose to use renewable energy in your state!]

Just to be sure we are all on the same page a non-renewable resource (i.e. coal, gas, etc.) is a resource that is available in limited supply and is irreplaceable or that takes a long time for the Earth to replace.

Using non-renewable resources over time puts a big strain on the planet.

On the other hand, a renewable resource (i.e. wind, solar, nuclear, etc.) is a natural resource that can or will be replenished naturally in the course of time.

My point is that you can and should try to make a dent in the amount of electricity your family uses to help conserve the natural resources used to produce your electricity.

One easy way is to use less electricity is to use less of it to light your home!  That’s where the switch to LED bulbs come in!

 

LED Bulbs Use Less Electricity

Using less electricity on lighting is easy, right? Just turn off the light when it’s not needed and you’re done…but that’s only part of the equation.

In addition to turning off the lights, you can also switch to LED bulbs – a much more energy efficient option.

Here is a quick comparison between incandescent bulbs (the ones you are probably most familiar with) and LED bulbs:

LED Incandescent
Light bulb projected lifespan 50,000 hours 1,200 hours
Watts per bulb (equiv. 60 watts) 10 60
Cost per bulb $35.95 $1.25
KWh of electricity used over
50,000 hours
500 3000
Cost of electricity (@ 0.10per KWh) $50 $300
Bulbs needed for 50k hours of use 1 42
Equivalent 50k hours bulb expense $35.95 $52.50
Total cost for 50k hours $85.75 $352.50

Don’t be alarmed by the cost per LED bulb! Just keep reading until you get to the total cost for 50,000 hours. Wow! There is your rationale for spending the money on the switch to LED bulbs.

Check out the number of KWh of electricity used over 50,000 hours numbers. Incandescent bulbs use a whopping 3,000 KWh while LEDs use just 500.

That’s a huge saving on electricity and valuable natural resources.

Easy Way to Switch to LED Bulbs

The task of swapping out every bulb in your home may seem overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be.

When you know what bulbs you need to replace you’ll be armed with the info you need to make the switch to LED bulbs easy. ​

I’ve created a simple, FREE tally sheet to help.  All you do is tally up the number and type of bulbs all over your home so you know what you need to replace with LED bulbs.

Just download the tally sheet and start counting!

When you’re done you’ll have a handy tally to use when you start shopping to make the switch to LED bulbs! And, since you’ll know exactly what you need you can shop for the best pricing and sales!

Happy swapping! I’d love to hear from you about your experience with the switch to LED bulbs!

Best,
Pam

 

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