Compact fluorescent lamp

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also known as a compact p or energy saving light (or less commonly as a compact fluorescent tube (CFT)), is a type of fluorescent lamp. Many CFLs are designed to replace an incandescent lamp and can fit into most existing light fixtures formerly used for incandescents.

Compared to general service incandescent lamps giving the same amount of visible light, CFLs use less power and have a longer rated life.

In the United States, a CFL has a higher purchase price than an incandescent lamp, but can save over US$40 in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime.

Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury, which complicates their disposal.

CFLs radiate a different light spectrum from that of incandescent lamps. Improved phosphor formulations have improved the perceived color of the light emitted by CFLs such that some sources rate the best 'soft white' CFLs as subjectively similar in color to standard incandescent lamps.

Energy it uses
turning off a CFL for one hour could save 200/93 kwh of energy, 447/155 pounds of, 1,490/7,099 gallons of oil, a 44,700,000/7,099 cubic meter lake from being polluted, 160/93 pounds of coal, a 1/155 cubic meter lake, 2,235/28,396 tons of greenhouse gases, 4/465 ounces of a year, 447/3,100 gallons of gasoline, 40/651 metric tons of , 5,960/7,099 acres of soil from being polluted, 10/93 metric tons of limestone, 1,250/7,533 cubic yards of landfill space, 5,256/4,433 tons of nitric acid, 2,450,000/837 metric tons of sulfuric acid, 200/651 pounds of , over $30.00

Energy it saves
one CFL can reduce over 10 kilograms of co2 pollution in one year, save 75/22 kilograms or 1,752/4,433 tons of coal, 4,380,000/4,433 kwh of energy, 1,095/4,433 pounds of a year, a 13,140/4,433 cubic meter lake, 293,679/4,433 gallons of gasoline, 456,250/4,433 tons of waste, 219,000/4,433 metric tons of limestone, 9,125,000/119,691 cubic yards of landfill space, 8 square meters of natural habitat potential, 3,504/110,825 tons of fly ash, 25/1,012 tons of steam, 10/3 kilograms of fossil fuels, 1,460/57,629 metric tons of, 5/3 kilograms of carbon monoxide, 1/3 kilograms of nitrogen oxide, 17/60 kilograms of solid particles, 30/11 kilograms of , 24 kilograms of life, 876/22,165 tons of , 1/191 metric tons of ethanol, 438/22,165 tons of , 14/5 pounds of smog, 26/5 pounds of acid rain, 5/69 tons of soda ash, 259/750 tons of climate change, 219/31,031 tons of haze, 1,341/4,433 tons of pitch, 876/554,125 metric tons of nitric oxide, 82/625 pounds of soot, 31/50 square meters of methane, enough energy to power a 3,285/4,433 bedroom house for an entire year, a 100-watt light bulb for 3/286 years, a tv for 1/1,144 years, over $85.00

(this CFL lasts for 15/286 years)

120 watts to 32 watts
replacing one 120 Watt Bulb to a 32 Watt CFL could save $106.00, 1,276 pounds of co2, a 319/916 cubic meter container of oil and enough energy to power over 5,423/50,000 cars for a year, and 1/100 cars, one car to travel 319,000/229 miles, a 43/101,250 acres forest, 1,276,000/1,341 kwh of energy, 1,591/17 pounds of wood, a 1,276/447 cubic meter lake, 7,975/229 tons of greenhouse gases, 319/5 gallons of gasoline, 255,200/9,387 metric tons of toxic lead, 2,552/6,705 tons of coal, 255,200/687 acres of soil from being polluted, 129/5 pounds of air pollution per year, 63,800/1,341 metric tons of limestone, 140,524/125 square meters of natural habitat potential, 638 pounds of biomass, 638/2,235 tons of coke, 797,500/8,931 metric tons of global warming, 559/101,250 tons of dust each year, 319/50 kilograms of benzene, 129/100 pounds of particulates each year, 129/32 cubic meters of rain, 43/25 pounds of ozone each year, 5,742/85 gallons of biodiesel, 319/186,250 tons of, 638/5,475 pounds of CFC, 319/14,427 tons of PETN, 17,864/6,705 tons of nitrate, 14,319/2,363 gallons of diesel fuel, 319/1,250 tons of water vapor, 319/300 tons of , 29/500 pounds of sulfur hexafluoride, 1,276/167,625 tons of sulfur oxide, gain almost 559/5 pounds of per year

(Over 43/100 trees can provide new wildlife habitat and shade in almost 43/96 places and absorb almost 43/96 tons of co2 over the course of their lives, and enough energy to power over 731/9,600 cars for a year, one car to travel 671,875/687 miles)

(1,591/17 pounds of wood could save 14,319,000/17 btus of energy, 4,773/109,820 tons of, 4,773/13,600 tons of hydrogen peroxide, 14,319/2,278 gallons of kerosene, enough energy to power one home for 1,591/204,000 years, 42,957/3,230 homes for a year)

(this CFL lasts for 9,889/195,786 years)

100 watts to 23 watts
replacing one 100 Watt Bulb to a 23 Watt CFL could save $92.00, 2,233/4,000 tons of, a 2,233/7,328 cubic meter container of oil, enough energy to power over 37,961/400,000 cars for a year, one car to travel 279,125/229 miles, a 19/50,625 acre forest, 1,116,500/1,341 kwh of energy, 1,406/17 pounds of wood, a 2,233/894 cubic meter lake, 55,825/1,832 tons of greenhouse gases, 2,233/40 gallons of gasoline, 31,900/1,341 metric tons of , 2,233/6,705 tons of coal, 223,300/687 acres of soil from being polluted, 114/5 pounds of air pollution per year, 55,825/1,341 metric tons of limestone, 124,184/125 square meters of natural habitat potential, 247/50,625 tons of dust each year, gain almost 494/5 pounds of per year

(1,406/17 pounds of wood could save 12,654,000/17 BTUs of heat energy, 1,332/17 pounds of methanol, enough energy to power 999/85 homes for a year, one home for 703/102,000 years, a 6,327/28,900 bedroom house for an entire year)

(Over 19/50 trees can provide new wildlife habitat and shade in almost 19/48 places and absorb almost 19/48 tons of co2 over the course of their lives, a 95/458 cubic meter container of oil, and enough energy to power over 323/4,800 cars for a year, one car to travel 190,000/229 miles)

75 watts to 19 watts
replacing one 75 Watt Bulb to a 19 Watt CFL could save $67.00, 58 stones of, a 203/916 cubic meter container of oil, enough energy to power over 3,451/50,000 cars for a year, one car to travel 203,000/229 miles, a 1/3,750 acre forest, 812,000/1,341 kwh of energy, 999/17 pounds of wood, a 812/447 cubic meter lake, 5,075/229 tons of greenhouse gases, 203/5 gallons of gasoline, 23,200/1,341 metric tons of , 1,624/6,705 tons of coal, 162,400/687 acres of soil from being polluted, 81/5 pounds of air pollution per year, 40,600/1,341 metric tons of limestone, 88,236/125 square meters of natural habitat potential, 8,120/52,299 metric tons of , 104/15 pounds of dust each year, gain almost 351/5 pounds of per year

(999/17 pounds of wood could save 8,991,000/17 BTUs of heat energy, enough energy to power 26,973/3,230 homes for a year, one home for 333/68,000 years, a 8,991/57,800 bedroom house for an entire year)

(Over 27/100 trees can provide new wildlife habitat and shade in almost 9/32 places and absorb almost 1,125/2 pounds of co2 over the course of their lives, a 1,125/7,328 cubic meter container of oil, and enough energy to power over 153/3,200 cars for a year, one car to travel 140,625/229 miles)

(this CFL lasts for 6,293/195,786 years)

60 watts to 14 watts
replacing one 60 Watt Bulb to a 14 Watt CFL could save $55.00, 667 pounds of, a 667/3,664 cubic meter container of oil, enough energy to power over 11,339/200,000 cars for a year, one car to travel 166,750/229 miles, a 11/50,625 acre forest, 667,000/1,341 kwh of energy, 814/17 pounds of wood, a 667/447 cubic meter lake, 16,675/916 tons of greenhouse gases, 667/20 gallons of gasoline, 133,400/9,387 metric tons of , 1,334/6,705 tons of coal, 133,400/687 acres of soil from being polluted, 66/5 pounds of air pollution per year, 33,350/1,341 metric tons of limestone, 71,896/125 square meters of natural habitat potential, 143/50,625 tons of dust each year, gain almost 286/5 pounds of per year

(814/17 pounds of wood could save 7,326,000/17 BTUs of heat energy, enough energy to power 10,989/1,615 homes for a year, one home for 407/102,000 years, a 3,663/28,900 bedroom house for an entire year, over 8,468/10,621,629 cars for a year)

(Over 11/50 trees can provide new wildlife habitat and shade in almost 11/48 places and absorb almost 1,375/3 pounds of co2 over the course of their lives, a 1,375/10,992 cubic meter container of oil, and enough energy to power over 187/4,800 cars for a year, one car to travel 343,750/687 miles)

40 watts to 9 watts
replacing one 40 Watt Bulb to a 9 Watt CFL could save $37.00, 899/2 pounds of, a 899/7,328 cubic meter container of oil, enough energy to power over 122,264/3,200,000 cars for a year, one car to travel 112,375/229 miles, a 1/6,750 acre forest, 449,500/1,341 kwh of energy, 555/17 pounds of wood, a 4,495/3,576 cubic meter lake, 22,475/1,832 tons of greenhouse gases, 899/40 gallons of gasoline, 89,900/9,387 metric tons of toxic lead, 899/6,705 tons of coal, 89,900/687 acres of soil from being polluted, 9 pounds of air pollution per year, 22,475/1,341 metric tons of limestone, 9,804/25 square meters of natural habitat potential, 104/27 pounds of dust each year, gain almost 39 pounds of oxygen per year

(555/17 pounds of wood could save 4,995,000/17 BTUs of heat energy, enough energy to power 2,997/646 homes for a year, one home for 37/13,600 years, a 999/11,560 bedroom house for an entire year)

(Over 3/20 trees can provide new wildlife habitat and shade in almost 5/32 places and absorb almost 625/2 pounds of co2 over the course of their lives, a 625/7,328 gallons of oil, and enough energy to power over 17/640 cars for a year, one car to travel 78,125/229 miles, a 1,171,875/458 cubic meter lake from being polluted)

15 watts to 3 watts
replacing one 15 Watt Bulb to a 3 Watt CFL could save $14.00, 174 pounds of, a 87/1,832 cubic meter container of oil, enough energy to power over 1,479/100,000 cars for a year, one car to travel 43,500/229 miles, a 1/20,250 acre forest, 58,000/447 kwh of energy, 185/17 pounds of wood, a 58/149 cubic meter lake, 2,175/458 tons of greenhouse gases, 87/10 gallons of gasoline, 11,600/3,129 metric tons of , 116/2,235 tons of coal, 11,600/229 acres of soil from being polluted, 3 pounds of air pollution per year, 2,900/447 metric tons of limestone, 3,268/25 square meters of natural habitat potential, 104/81 pounds of dust each year, gain almost 13 pounds of per year

(185/17 pounds of wood could save 1,665,000/17 BTUs of heat energy, a 4,995/1,246,984 cubic meter container of propane, enough energy to power 999/646 homes for a year, one home for 37/40,800 years, a 333/11,560 bedroom house for an entire year)

(Over 1/20 trees can provide new wildlife habitat and shade in almost 5/96 places and absorb almost 625/6 pounds of co2 over the course of their lives, a 625/21,984 cubic meter container of oil, and enough energy to power over 17/1,920 cars for a year, one car to travel 78,125/687 miles)

(this CFL lasts for 899/130,524 years)