How many Lynnfield residents does it take to change a light bulb?
All four Lynnfield Public Schools have joined a number of other North Shore communities in a project to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and mercury emissions while at the same time helping families to save money. The CFL Challenge is being run through the Salem State College Collaborative Project, an organization founded to support teachers and schools in Massachusetts. Scott Gordon, the Science Department Chair at Lynnfield High School and Secondary Science Coordinator for the Collaborative, is spearheading the project. He is also working closely with the Lynnfield Recycling Committee on the project in the elementary schools.
The challenge is simple. We are asking residents to replace as many of their inefficient incandescent light bulbs (traditional kind) with more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The reasons to make the switch are simple.
· A 13-watt CFL uses less than 25% of the energy of a 60-watt incandescent for the same amount of light – taking only 25% of the electricity from the power plant. It’s the equivalent of using a light for FOUR hours but needing the energy of (and paying for) only ONE hour.
· Because most electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels like coal, switching to CFLs will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere by 75% simply by using less electricity. Traditional light bulbs create four times as many greenhouse gases!
· The primary source of mercury contamination in the U.S. is from electricity production by coal-fired power plants – switching to CFLs significantly reduces mercury contamination by using less electricity.
· Overall, with the costs of the bulb and electricity included, you will save about $40 per bulb over the CFL’s lifetime.
To participate, students are encouraging parents to replace their bulbs with CFLs and tell us how many they have changed.
Residents, please join us! It takes only a few seconds per bulb and actually saves money almost immediately. CFLs can be purchased almost anywhere light bulbs are sold now. They produce an equivalent light to incandescent bulbs, and special CFL bulbs are now made for many applications such as outdoor lighting, dimmer switches, chandeliers, and even bug lights. Be sure to buy only Energy Star rated bulbs to get a quality product.
Thank you for being a part of this environmental effort!
CFL Challenge Information and Tips
Comparison of Incandescent and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs)
Bulb Type |
Watts |
Hours of Use |
kWH Use |
Cost per kWH |
Electrical Cost |
Incandescent |
60 W |
8,000 |
480 |
$0.10 |
$48.00 |
CFL |
13 W |
8,000 |
104 |
$0.10 |
$10.40 |
· A 60 W incandescent (traditional bulb) and a 13 W CFL give about the same light.
· One CFL lasts 8,000 hours. It takes 8 incandescents for 8,000 hours.
· A CFL cost about $2.00 or less whereas 8 incandescent bulbs cost about $3.75.
· Overall, with bulb and electricity taken into account, you will save about $40 per bulb over the lifetime of the CFL.
· If you change more than 10 bulbs, this will amount to $400 in savings!
Where and how to buy CFLs
ü CFLs produce an equivalent light to incandescent bulbs and can be purchased almost anywhere light bulbs are sold now – Target, Home Depot, CVS, etc.
ü Be sure to buy only Energy Star rated bulbs to ensure you’re buying a quality product.
ü Special CFL bulbs are now made for many applications, such as outdoor lighting, dimmer switches, chandeliers, and even bug lights.
ü Choose the equivalent for your location – a 13-watt CFL is equivalent to a 60-watt traditional bulb. You may use a higher watt CFL bulb for more light, but do not exceed the watt maximum
(which is usually marked on lamps and other fixtures).
What to do with your incandescent (traditional) bulbs
ü Use these bulbs in high traffic areas (to avoid accidental breakage of CFLs).
ü Put them (carefully) in your trash.
Why you should change now and not wait until your incandescent bulbs burn out
ü Your incandescent bulbs are going to a landfill regardless of when you throw them away. But you can start to save money and energy and to reduce greenhouse gases and mercury emissions now.
Where to recycle unbroken CFLs when they burn out
ü Lynnfield DPW – call for hours – 781-334-9500
ü Home Depot
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