Traditional incandescent bulbs are being phased out, and who wants them anyway? They burn a lot more energy and last a fraction of the lifespan you get from higher-efficiency halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent (CFL) or LED bulbs.

Although you might miss the days when your only bulb-buying decision was how many watts you wanted, you do get more value from your bulb-buying buck when you choose from the newer options:

• Halogen incandescents increase bulb efficiency by about 25 percent over traditional incandescent bulbs. And they last three times longer. You can get them in a range of shapes and colors and use them with dimmers. Because they contain nothing toxic, you don’t have to do anything special when you’re ready to dispose of one.
• CFLs are about 75 percent more efficient than traditional incandescents and last ten times longer. They pay for themselves in less than nine months (but last several years). Newer versions put to rest earlier complaints about the bulbs’ intensity, and you can get them in warm tones that provide softer light. The only downside is that these bulbs contain a small amount of mercury and therefore need to be recycled. Most electric co-ops offer a bulb-recycling program, but if your co-op doesn’t, take your bulbs to any Home Depot for recycling.
• LEDs are the most efficient option, bringing 75-80 percent energy savings over traditional incandescent bulbs. They’re also the longest-lasting choice by quite a bit, hanging in there 25 times longer than a traditional incandescent. You don’t get those benefits for nothing, however—LEDs also are the priciest choice. But back to the good news: You can get LEDs in just about any size, style, and brightness you need, and because they contain nothing toxic, you can get rid of burnt-out bulbs by putting them in your regular recycling.

As you replace traditional incandescent bulbs, keep in mind that we offer rebates for many commercial lighting projects. Nothing like cash back to light up your life, eh?