Thursday, April 19, 2012

Incandescent to Fluorescent Made Easy

Green light bulbs, for that Earth Day party
you're throwing this weekend
Finally - an easy tool to help you make the switch!

Light Bulb Finder, a free app for Android and iOS smartphones made by Eco Hatchery, won EPA's Apps for the Environment - and for good reason. It makes the switch to energy-efficient light bulbs incredibly simple. And you can use it on whatever platform you have - iPhone, iPad, Droid phones, Droid tablets...

Not only does it recommend energy-saving bulbs that work for your light quality and fit specifications, but also it provides you with information about how much you're saving in energy costs (calculated by zip code).

To see just how easy this app is to operate, I tried it out on my Droid X2.

First: fixture. I'll look for something to fit my overhead kitchen light.
Second: bulb type. I have a standard incandescent one in right now.
Third: base type. Mine is just a regular ol' Edison Screw.
Fourth: features, between dimming, 3-way, and on/off. Mine is a basic on/off.
Fifth: wattage. 60.
Sixth: bulb usage. I'd say five hours per day.
Seventh: quantity needed. I need two.
Finally it asks me to nickname the location where these bulbs are needed so I know for future reference. I said, "Kitchen."

Presto... I need a CFL Twister ENERGY STAR. It'll run me $4.82 per bulb, and I'll end up saving $45 over the lifetime of the bulb.

Easy walkthrough. Easy recommendation. Easy cash savings. And a super easy way to conserve energy.
It's free, so why not try it out for yourself?

Need more details? Check out their video:


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via Challenge.gov, lightbulbfinder.net

2 comments:

  1. Great article! Well-written and useful! Thanks Jodie!

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  2. Jody: This is a wonderful start to a blog I look forward to following. Your topic is clearly a popular one, but I like the Northwest twist you're giving it. Stick with that. This post itself is a good choice, and you've written it well: simple, easy to grasp, and relevant for any smartphone user. I like the format; might you make the first words in your listing bold face? Little extras like that make it easier to read. The one thing that's missing that I'd like you start including in future posts is reference to what other news sources have said about the topic. Cite them, include links and comment, if you have some reaction. This is a BEAT blog, and I want you to follow what others are reporting on environmental issues in the NW. Good graphics, by the way. Score = 9.5

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