Eco-rate - Spring Light 801014 Bare-spiral

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$2.08

Spring Light 801014 Bare-spiral

Manufactured by: Technical Consumer Products, Inc.

Wattage: 14

Equivalent Incandescent Wattage: 57

Annual Energy Cost: $2

Color of Light: Warm White/Soft White

Bulb Life (years): 9.1

Made in China - 7207 miles away from you

Average Eco-rating Average Eco-rating: A product's balance between environmental and economic considerations. The product that has the highest Average Eco-rating is both environmentally preferred and cost-effective to purchase and own.		66
Environmental Impact Rating: based on a product's Consumption and Toxicity Ratings (see below), manufacturing location and manufacturer's commitment(s) to environmental stewardship (visit the How We Rate page for details). The higher the rating, the lesser the environmental impact of the CFL relative to others within the category.		73
Consumption Rating: based on a product's lumens per watt (light output) rating relative to others within the category. The higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the light bulb.		86
Toxicity Rating: based on a product's level of toxic contents (4 milligrams of mercury in the case of an average CFL) and life hours. The longer-lasting the light bulb, the less mercury the bulb will emit on the environment when compared to bulbs that do not last as long because it will not need to be disposed of as frequently. The higher the rating, the less toxic and longer-lasting the CFL.		50
Lifecycle Cost Rating: based on a product’s cost of ownership, including its purchase price and cost of operation (energy costs), relative to that of others within the category. The higher the rating, the more cost-effective the CFL.		25
Price Rating: based on a product’s purchase price relative to others within the category. The higher the rating, the better (lower) the price of the product.		100
The higher the rating, the better.

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Our Environmental Impact Rating for Light Bulbs is based on a product's Consumption and Toxicity Ratings (see below), manufacturing location and manufacturer's commitment(s) to environmental stewardship (visit the How We Rate page for details). The higher the Environmental Impact Rating, the lesser the environmental impact of the CFL relative to others within the category.

Our Consumption Rating for Light Bulbs is based on a product's lumens per watt (light output) rating relative to others within the category. The higher number of lumens per watt a light bulb can produce, the more efficient it is (it uses less energy to produce more light).

The higher the Consumption Rating, the more energy-efficient the light bulb.

Our Toxicity Rating for Light Bulbs is based on a product's level of toxic contents and life hours. On average, CFLs contain 4 milligrams of mercury sealed within their glass tubing. Mercury is toxic to human and environmental health. The longer-lasting the light bulb, the less mercury the bulb will emit on the environment when compared to bulbs that do not last as long because it will not need to be disposed of as frequently.

The higher the Toxicity Rating, the less toxic and longer-lasting the CFL.

Our Lifecycle Cost Rating for Light Bulbs is based on a product’s cost of ownership, including its purchase price and cost of operation (energy costs), relative to others within the category. A product’s return on investment potential is revealed in its Lifecycle Cost Rating since this rating uses the product's lifetime energy cost in relation to its purchase price. In many instances, products that have higher purchase prices but also have higher efficiency ratings bring a quick return on investment through reduced utility expenses. The higher the rating, the more cost-effective the CFL.

Our Price Rating for Light Bulbs is based on a product’s purchase price relative to others within the category. The higher the Price Rating, the better (lower) the price of the product.

Light Bulb Buying Guide
`A quick guide to strategic product selection`

Lighting typically accounts for 20% of residential electricity use. This means significant cost savings can be achieved with lighting improvements.

Eco-rate currently recommends compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) as the most energy-efficient and cost-effective option for residential lighting on the market today. Click here to view our Lighting Technologies page. CFLs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. However, CFLs do contain mercury, a chemical element with compounds that are extremely toxic to humans and the natural environment. Their use and disposal should be done with caution (see below for responsible disposal tips).

Another drawback to CFLs is that they cannot be produced locally here in the United States. Current U.S. EPA regulations prevent CFLs from being manufactured in the U.S. because of their high mercury levels. Hence, all CFLs are manufactured overseas, with 95% of them coming from China.

We recommend selecting a light bulb on Eco-rate with the highest “Average Eco-rating”. This is the product that scores best in terms of environmental impact and price. Amongst other factors, this product emits the most amount of light using the least amount of energy at the best price. Click here to discover how we rate light bulbs.

WHAT ABOUT LEDs? READ ABOUT LIGHT BULB TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION HERE

Wattage equivalence

Look for the incandescent wattage equivalence of the CFL. This will ensure you are getting the same amount of light when replacing an incandescent bulb with a CFL. CFLs use 75% less energy than incandescents but emit the same amount of light (e.g. a 9-watt CFL bulb can produce as much light as a 37-watt incandescent bulb).

► When replacing incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR CFLs, simply refine your CFL product search on Eco-rate by selecting “Equivalent Incandescent Wattage” on the product results page. Click here get started.

Efficiency

Bulb efficiency is measured by the amount of light - or "lumens" - produced per watt of electricity consumed (lumens per watt). The higher number of lumens per watt a light bulb can produce, the more efficient it is. CFLs are more efficient than incandescent bulbs because they use less electricity - or wattage - to produce the same amount of light.

► Each CFL bulb featured on Eco-rate includes lumens per watt information. Our Consumption Ratings for light bulbs factor-in lumens per watt. The higher the Consumption Rating, the more lumens per watt the bulb emits and the more efficient it is.

Longevity

Purchase light bulbs with high life hour ratings. Some bulbs on the market today last up to 15,000 life hours, the equivalent of 13.7 years. This is a significant difference when compared to standard incandescent light bulbs, which have typical a life of 750 hours, or less than one year.

► Each CFL bulb featured on Eco-rate has an extended life when compared to its incadescent counterpart. Each CFL's stated life hours is factored into our ratings and is viewable under the each product's Specifications tab.

Color

CFLs are available in a variety of shades, ranging from warm yellow to bright white light. Light color is measured on a temperature scale referred to as degree Kelvin (K). Lower Kelvin numbers mean the light appears more yellow; higher Kelvin numbers mean the light appears whiter. If you want to replace your CFLs with warm white/soft white light to match that of incandescent bulbs, choose CFLS with 2700-3000K temperature ratings.

Color Temperature

Soft yellow: 2300-2700K
Warm white/soft white: 2700-3000K
Cool white/bright white: 3100-4100K
Natural/daylight: 4500-6500K

► Each CFL bulb featured on Eco-rate includes color temperature and color of light information. Click on a product's Specifications tab to view this information.

Color Rendering Index (CRI)

Another important component of a light bulb is its Color Rendering Index (CRI), or the ability of the bulb to show colors comparable to that of an incandescent. ENERGY STAR requires a CRI of at least 80 for qualified CFLs (incandescent light bulbs have a CRI of 100).

The current challenge for you as the consumer is the fact that manufacturers are not required to list the CRI. When consumers purchase a CFL with an unappealing color, they often digress to the old incandescent technology for familiarities sake. Please resist this urge; find the right CFL for your color preference using Eco-rate, and give it two weeks, in such time your eye will adjust and you won’t even notice a difference (the only difference being your lower electric bills!). If CRI is not listed, rely on degree Kelvin for your color choice (see above).

Toxicity

As noted above, CFLs contain on average 4 milligrams of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. By comparison, older thermometers contain approximately 500 milligrams of mercury. Mercury is an element (Hg on the periodic table) found naturally in the environment, however it is highly toxic to human health and the natural environment.

► Mercury toxicity of CFLs is reflected in the Toxicity Rating of each CFL bulb featured on Eco-rate.

Disposal

As stated above, CFLs contain mercury, a chemical element with compounds that are extremely toxic, and need to be disposed of properly - not thrown in your wastebasket! You can use Eco-rate’s product search tool to find a new light bulb and then select the “Recycle” tab from the product page. You will then be able to use the Earth 911 search widget to find a local location where your old bulbs can be disposed of responsibly.

Your local utility company will also be able to help you know where and how to responsibly dispose of your old bulbs.

How to maximize the performance of your CFLs

Use natural daylight from windows and skylights whenever possible.
Keep your lamps and fixtures clean. Dirt reduces visible light output, which leads to switching on additional lights and/or unnecessary bulb replacement.
Avoid having too many lights controlled by a single switch - this can result in having lights on where and when you don't need them.
Light-colored walls and ceilings reflect about 80% of light that strikes them, and dark-colored surfaces reflect only about 10% of the light. So when you are re-decorating, remember that you will need brighter lights in a room with a dark decor than in a room with light surfaces.
Place floor lamps or table lamps in a corner instead of in the middle of a wall. This will allow light to reflect off two walls, giving you more usable light for your money.

How are light bulbs rated on Eco-rate?

Please click here to discover our light bulb rating system.

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Average Eco-rating

Light Bulb Buying Guide A quick guide to strategic product selection