As part of the Federal Energy Independence and Security Act, the incandescent lightbulb, used in most homes in America for more than a century, will soon start to disappear.

The act requires new lightbulbs to use 25 to 30 percent less energy beginning in 2012 nationally—starting with the 100-watt bulb. By 2014, other incandescent bulbs, including the 75-, 60-, and 40-watt, will also be phased out across the country. The act will cut the nation's electric bill by an estimated $10 billion a year when fully implemented in 2014.

Even though this legislation—passed by Congress in 2007—will affect virtually all Americans, a recent survey found that only 36 percent of Americans know that this legislation will phase out most traditional incandescent lightbulbs. In addition, the survey found that only 19 percent of Americans know that the 100-watt incandescent will be the first bulb to be banned from U.S. stores, beginning Jan. 1, 2012.

And what will replace the incandescent lightbulb, you ask? The answer is the CFL, the compact fluorescent lamp. It is a small fluorescent lightbulb that uses 75 percent less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb and can be screwed into a regular light socket.

Don't let the fact that it is fluorescent turn you off. If the CFL is Energy Star qualified, it must pass extensive testing to ensure that it produces only the highest-quality light.

Incandescent lightbulbs work by heating a tungsten filament, or wire, until it glows. That is what produces the light you see. Unfortunately, 90 percent of the energy used to generate that light is wasted as heat, making incandescent bulbs a very inefficient way to light a home. CFLs, on the other hand, create a chemical reaction among gasses inside the glass tube, causing phosphors to illuminate.

If you are skeptical about CFLs, there's no need to be. The technology has come a long way. The light that CFLs provide is identical to the old incandescent bulbs, the new magnetic ballasts make no noise, and CFLs light almost instantly. The only real difference from the old incandescent lightbulb is that CFLs look different and will save you money.

On average, the CFL will save up to 15 percent of your energy bill because they use 75 percent less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb and they will last, on average, five years.

Lightbulbs are not an impulse purchase anymore. You will be buying an item that will last five years, which means it's worth the effort to purchase bulbs with the Energy Star seal.

CFLs earning the Energy Star seal meet minimum lifetime and value requirements, and are within maximum allowed product start and warm-up times. Manufacturers are also required to label the product if the light output is different than that of a soft white incandescent bulb. If you choose a CFL that is not Energy Star qualified, you might not get the performance you are looking for. Energy Star is a joint venture between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, which certifies and promotes energy-efficient products.

If every American home replaced just one incandescent lightbulb with a light that has earned the Energy Star seal, America would save enough energy to light three million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent nine billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the greenhouse gases emitted from about 800,000 cars.

Electricity used for lighting represents about 20 percent of the average American household's energy bill. That makes the CFL bulb a great way to save electricity now that KCP&L has raised electricity prices. You can save up to 15 percent of your energy bill just by switching your incandescent bulbs to CFLs.

The CFL bulb, like everything else, is not perfect. CFLs are made of glass and can break if dropped or handled roughly, just as incandescent bulbs can. Be careful when removing a bulb from its packaging, installing it, or replacing it. Always screw and unscrew the bulb by its base, not the glass, and never forcefully twist a CFL into a light socket. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury that poses no danger if the glass is not broken. If you accidentally break a CFL bulb, place the bulb in a sealed glass jar and follow the disposal directions on the packaging.

For answers to almost any question about CFL lightbulbs, go to the Energy Star Web site below and read the FAQ section.

Sources
Third annual Socket Survey by Osram Sylvania, a Siemens company.
Energy Star: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls

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