Photo: Leo Reynolds / Flickr

The term ‘carbon footprint’ is one you might have come across in the media. What does it mean? Simply put, each one of us has a carboon footprint. It is the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by whatever activity we take part in every day. Too many of these GHG in the atmosphere negatively contributes to global warming. The Kyoto protocol delineates solutions to decrease the levels of GHG emitted thereby reducing our carbon footprint. What can you do?

This little light of mine…

One of the activities that produce the most GHG and have the heaviest carbon footprint is the production and use of electricity. As individual consumers, each of us can reduce the amount of GHG emitted by reducing our electricity use and employing energy-saving methods and products.

These days, energy-saving light bulbs are not restricted to fluorescent types. They now come in two types: compact fluorescent lights (CFL) or light-emitting diodes (LED). They are also available in varying shapes and sizes.

How these work is by producing less wattage therefore increasing efficiency. A 20-watt energy-saving light bulb, for example, contributes the same amount of electricity as a 100-watt conventional light bulb.

… I’m gonna let it shine

Although energy-saving light bulbs are slightly more expensive than conventional light bulbs, they can last up to 15 times longer. And by reducing electricity usage, they eventually pay for themselves in the long run.

When they were first available, CFL and LED light bulbs were not compatible with dimmer switch technology. With recent innovations, this is no longer a problem.

In addition, some CFL and LED light bulbs are now available in 3000k format as opposed to 4000k, which means that they have a warmer tone, similar to conventional bulbs.

You now have no reason to switch to energy-saving bulbs in order to reduce your carbon footprint and counteract global warming.

Tags: Energy saving