This might seem like a bit of an inane topic to be posting about, but Seth got me thinking tonight. (he does that a lot…)

The reason this got me thinking is that we (my husband and I) have swapped every possible lightbulb in our house with energy saving ones, and I take such a thing for granted. However, very few people do. If every household changed a single regular lightbulb for a more energy-efficient one, it could make a significant difference.

Five reasons why we’ve moved to compact fluorescent lightbulbs

1. In the UK, they’re generally called “energy saving”. Doesn’t it give you a fuzzy feeling in your tummy to use something that’s got such a positive name yet requires so little action on your part?

2. It’s a tiny way to know you’re doing your part to save the world. My husband and I are both notoriously bad at recycling and our car is far from energy efficient, so at least it’s one small area where we can do good.

3. They save marital arguments. As Seth points out, they’re not cheaper than regular lightbulbs, and if you calculate the savings you’ll make in a year, it’s not insignificant, but it’s a drop in the ocean of your yearly spending. The reason they’re great is that they don’t burn out half as often! They last SO much longer, it allows us to avoid “Oh where the hell did you put away that box of lightbulbs THIS time?” conversation for a long time.

4. They’re kind of funky. They look a little bit odd, they sometimes come with a slightly rubbery outside, and we generally buy them at Ikea. These three things make it cool.

5. They can be left on and my OCD husband won’t worry the house is about to burn down. Enough said.

So why not make an effort to pick an energy saving lightbulb or two on your next trip down to the store? Go on, it’ll make you feel good.