In light of global warming and rising energy costs, people are searching for ways to save the planet and a little bit of money. Whether you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint, or reduce your monthly light bill, compact fluorescent light bulbs are a good option for your needs. These have several advantages over the incandescent bulbs they often replace. Their long life and low operating costs make compact fluorescent lights some of the most talked about lighting choices for any home or business.



Compact fluorescent light bulbs operate by a small amount of mercury inside the bulb having an electrical current passed through it. The mercury then causes fluorescent gas inside the bulb to light up. The result is a bright, white light which does not emit heat the way that incandescent bulbs do. This is because there is no filament to heat up and burn out, there is less wasted energy. Instead of much of the energy from the light being converted into heat, as with an incandescent, it is instead used to create light. This means that there is more light per watt from a compact fluorescent lamp than from many other bulbs.

Up until now, if you wanted to have fluorescent lights in your home, you had to have special fixtures for them, but today's compact fluorescent lamps and light bulbs can be screwed into any incandescent socket. This makes it doubly easy to convert your home from an energy hog to an energy miser. The amount of money saved on your monthly bills will be well worth the investment.

There is one small concern with owning compact fluorescent light bulbs. Due to the mercury in them, they must be properly disposed of. Since it is encased in glass, you will suffer no ill health effects from the mercury, but these bulbs must be taken to your city's fluorescent compact lamp recycling center. Call your city's information line to inquire where to dispose of materials such as compact fluorescent light bulbs and computers, since these will likely be taken at the same facility. These lights should not be thrown away in the trash, since they could lead to the mercury leaking out into the landfill if they are broken later. You will have no problems, yourself, if you follow the proper disposal for your compact fluorescent light bulbs.

These lights need a warm up and cool down period between lighting cycles. If you are using a motion detector, it will be best to opt for either a halogen or fluorescent bulb. This will offer you the best in energy efficiency and bulb longevity for these applications. If the temperature of your commercial warehouse lighting is important, then you should not choose halogens, which can get very hot when lit. Instead, a cooler fluorescent or HID lamp will be better.

Other decisions to make for your light pole installation are less technical. You need to be able to specify the finish, color, and style of the pole. If you are unsure about what equipment you need additionally to install your concrete light pole, you should consult with an expert. Carefully follow the directions included with your light pole provided by the manufacturer. Once you have followed these tips and guidelines, installing the poles should be quick and easy. Commercial parking lot lighting packages can be more affordable than you think.