What's the most creative way to inspire your friends and family to switch to eco-friendly light bulbs?

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As individuals we take it upon ourselves to make small changes that will have a big impact on our environment. I produced a film documentary about global climate change and how humankind must confront global warming now or face devastating consequences. Compact fluorescent light bulbs can make a huge difference. Check it out at: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070221/light_bul…

I want to know how you can encourage those around you to be more conscientious with their energy habits with these light bulbs. Find out more in my profile: http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile?show…

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

It would be great if people choose to do good because of the well-being of humanity, or the long term benefits to the biosphere, but of course most of us think in a much smaller scale, and need more immediate effects of our actions... and it's ok, that's the way humans are.

Considering that eco-friendly light bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs, while they last 10 times longer.
Considering that they're so efficient that they only release a small fraction of the heat given by traditional light bulbs, providing 'cold' light.... Considering this, they should be selling themselves!

In fact we use them at home :-) and we know that once you try them, you won't go back to the 'old' type. It's simply a better investment. Therefore, the trick is to get people to try these light bulbs at home for the first time.

One creative way would be hosting a reunion and giving each of the guests one or a small set of eco-friendly light bulbs. Each bulb should have a small label with, for instance, a smilie face and the date, just like party souvenirs.
The date thingy is important, so that they are aware of how long these light bulbs will last!

Frankly, I don' t think it's a matter of being creative, but rational. Education is all it takes (and yes, I know that it's no small feat) to make everyone realize that conservation benefits us all.

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Answer 2

Print a short but thorough report on the mass importance and end with a short but sweet theology of how you feel it will benefit YOUR immediate future generation of family. Enclose one packet in a gift bag along with your summary and give as a UN -BIRTHDAY gift to those who mean the most. That could help to start a trend; at least in your circle.

Answer 3

give as gifts, once they have them they will love them and most likely buy them next time.

Answer 4

Have companies who make eco-friendly lightbulbs promote them as cost-reducing and longer-lasting.

I am not aware of any eco-friendly lightbulbs on the market, and I don't burn enough electricity to deteriorate the ozone layer anyway, and odds are neither do you.

But if these were identified as a superior, cost-effective product, cheaper than a regular light bulb, more powerful, and longer-lasting, I would buy. Why not? Who wouldn't?

Answer 5

Use them yourself and lead by example... I would like to address pusherhorn. if you burn electricity you create pollution plain as that. the coal burner you tap into has to emit the same amount of CO2 into the environment no matter what your usage is. the only way a person can be contaminate free is to run off the grid. ie. solar, wind, hydroelectric. oh and the eco-friendly light bulbs are called CFL's before you speak pusher you might want to know your facts.

Answer 6

Children are quite easily influenced.
Advertise them during their tv time.
All environmental issues need do be delt with through our education system! Usually if the child says they learnt about something in school, you stop to listen and usually remember yourself!

Answer 7

I would put all my saved money from using eco-friendly globes into a party for my friends and family and then at the end of it I would would explain that it was all paid for by the cost savings of switching to the eco-frinedly globes. This way they can really see how much money they are saving.

I would also give them a fact sheet on switching with a globe for them to test. Hopefully by doing this it will encourage them to pass on the information to their own friends and family so the message will be spread.

Many people aren't affected to change their behaviour to help the environment unless they can see a real and immediate benefit.

Eco-friendly light bulbs are cheaper than regular incandescent bulb. Using a 60w incandescent vs. an 11w energy saver the running costs are $36 vs. $6.60 over 6000 hours use.

For the practical minded who don't want to have to change globes continuously you are looking at 1000 hours vs. 6000 hours life expectancy.

For those who actually do care about the environment it is 342kg vs. 62.7kg of greenhouse emissions.

Back to costs again - Although the cost of an incandescent is $6 (for 6 bulbs) vs. $6.98 for for 1 eco-friendly bulb, the total cost of purchase and running is $42.00 vs. $13.58. over 6000 hours. That is an enormous saving for both your wallet and the environment.

Also, schools could promote and sell bulbs the same way that they have chocolate fundraisers. The schools provide the children with a special box of chocolates that they sell to family, friends, neighbours etc and these fundraisers make $1000s for schools. This is a good idea because you are able to use children to help spread the word to all the different people they come in contact with.

Source(s):

http://au.news.yahoo.com/070219/23/12h85…
and
Sydney Morning Herald article on the new Federal Government proposal to phase out inefficient globes by introducing legislation by 2010.

Answer 8

do as australia does an ban them in a few years

Answer 9

Doesn't it have to go a LOT further than light bulbs?

Most people in our town recycle, and I thought everyone was doing it, until I went to a public function and saw recyclable things in the bin.

All people have to do is rinse them, yet it all seems too hard.

But when our leaders go on TV and say things like, "global warming is all a hoax, and similar things, well it is extremely unhelpful.

All us little people out here among the masses, can try to do their bit, but while industry keeps on belching out polluting, choking smoke, its very disheartening.

And yet, nature continues to yell at us.

More and more shark attacks happen because the fish stocks are being depleted. Old growth forests are still being logged for wood chips.

The earth is groaning under the weight of massive human growth and only a few are listening. And those few have little or no voice.

Answer 10

Give them an incentive to try them, Buy one and get one free always works for me, my friends and our families.

Answer 11

Show them the difference in the bill. I switched to them and saw a difference right away. I too try and get people to switch and I just tell them. If not for yourself, for you children and your children's children.
Think about our world on its own. We are draining and killing it, we all need to do our part.
And dont be shy, speak your peace. The more people like your and I the better chance the earth has.
Thanks For Doing Your Part :-)

Source(s):

Whatch your Karma - For it is Always Watching You

Answer 12

Show them how some of them cast a nice cool glow like the "daylight " ones. The savings on the hydro bill, I think, would entice anyone as well as the guilt free use of light. Also, get some information pertaining to how if every one used at least some of these bulbs pollution would be lessoned by a great( if not astounding) amount

Answer 13

Buy them some as examples!

Answer 14

Get them to watch "An Inconvenient Truth". Seriously, my whole family watched that and our attitudes changed. I used to hate those light bulbs, didn't like the kind of light they gave off and all that, but after I watched that DVD, I switched, and my next car's going to be a hybrid. We're also recycling and re-using things a lot more and have installed a new shower head that reduces our water usage.

I, and most of my friends try to be environmentally responsible, but it's not really a priority. "An Inconvenient Truth" was a wake up call for us. I agree that those light bulbs would be a great gift...in fact, a gift basket that included the DVD and a few of the bulbs would make a great present for anyone.

It would also make sense to promote this to any property owners who include hydro in their tenants' rents. There is a lot of that where I live, and when hydro is included, tenants can be very wasteful of electricity. If hydro is included in the rent, landlords should encourage power and water conservation as much as possible.

Answer 15

Americans won't apply first aid to a small scratch but they will rush to the emergency room for an open wound, especially if it's their child that's wounded. "Tis merely a scratch," says the hero who stands there with a stump instead of an arm, until someone actually makes him look to see that his scratch really is a severe wound.

-BD

Source(s):

http://www.perfectlysaid.com

Answer 16

Just switch the lightbulbs in your house with eco-friendly ones! Hey, it might work...

Answer 17

Buy some for them, break one of their incandescent light bulbs, and replace theirs with your eco-friendly light bulbs. I did that with my Dad, who is very very set in his ways. And it worked. He now uses the spiral fluorescent bulbs as replacements.

Show them their electric meter spinning more slowly when a light bulb is on.

Once again, you'll probably have to buy some for them, and give them as a gift.

Answer 18

Show them this article about Australia outlawing the incandescent light bulb.
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?s…

Answer 19

I don't know if this was creative, but I go through light bulbs like candy in my house. My buddy tells me he got these lights that last 5 years, easy, and use less energy. I figured cool because I have an all electric house. 99% of my household lights are now Eco-friendly fluorescent bulbs, The only ones not are my vanity lights in my bathrooms.

Answer 20

It's going to have to be a little bit stronger than trying to inspire people to play along, especially when they have to put out their hard earned cash up front for intangible results. I think there is an answer in the video industry, when they wanted to change formats, from Beta to VHS and then from VHS to DVD, they just went whole hog to the new technology which forced the extinction of the old. If we as consumers didn't upgrade our equipment, we were simply left out in the cold. So why wouldn't a similar tactic work with light bulbs.

Answer 21

Word of mouth to your friends and family about products such as Ott Light's 13-watt reading bulb. It is the next best thing to natural sunlight. Most people just don't know there is something better than the ordinary light bulb. Tell them!

Answer 22

show them Al gore's movie "an inconvenient truth"...its out on dvd now..

its about global warming and it has inspired many people..

Answer 23

Threaten them.

Answer 24

Ok, for the most part, I believe all this global warming is a bunch of BS, but Ironically, I use these bulbs in most sockets throughout my home.

WHY? Because they benefit me.

Our power quality sucks and incandescents burn out within a couple of months due to surges. With the spirals, I barely ever have to climb a ladder. I don't mind the savings either.

Here's a lesson: If you enviro-religious want to effect change, why don't you make it work for the consumer instead of producing multi-million dollar BS guilt trip movies?

Source(s):

Capitalism 101

Answer 25

I think the best way is by setting an example! When my friends and family see the way I try to conserve energy or reduce waste in my home and how I have made it a part of my routine, they usually incorporate some kind of conservation into their lives. I don't hit them over the head with it, I just try to set an example. Also, I have bought those bulbs or biodegradeable garbage bags or recycling bins and given them as gifts, asking friends or family to try them for a while and see if it makes a difference. If it works for them, great, and if it doesn't then they aren't out of pocket. I think people are hesitant because they are bombarded with info on how to do this or that with just a little investment and all the little investments add up with little results so that can be frustrating and disappointing. You are doing a great thing by being eco-friendly! Bravo!

Answer 26

There isn't one - people are set in their ways and you need to realize that.

I don't use them and I never will.

Answer 27

Show them an eco-friendly light bulb in one hand and three twenty dollar bills in the other. Tell them the money represents what they can save by using this bulb instead of the other kind.

From the site http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/…
<Only 10 percent of the energy consumed by an incandescent bulb produces light; the remainder is given off as heat. Technologies developed during the last 10 years with fluorescent lighting can help cut lighting costs 30 to 60 percent while enhancing light quality and reducing environmental impacts.

Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the quickest and easiest ways to decrease your energy bill. If you replace 25 percent of your light bulbs in high-use areas with fluorescents, you can save about 50 percent on your lighting bill. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) provide the equivalent amount of bright, attractive light and no longer flicker or buzz. Although CFLs cost more initially, they save money in the long run because they use only one-quarter the energy of an equivalent incandescent bulb and last 8-12 times longer.
Each CFL you install can save you $30 to $60 over the life of the bulb.

In a typical home, one compact fluorescent bulb can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 260 pounds per year. If every American household replaced one of its incandescent light bulbs with a CFL, it would save the same amount of energy as a large nuclear power plant produces in a year. >

Answer 28

,I have been the centre of our groups jokes ever since i changed all my Bulbs in the house to the twisted little bulbs, a year and a half ago.
the ( expensive little gimmicks) as my friends laughingly called them. .
three weeks ago i presented them with all my electric bills for last year and compared it with this last six months with the new bulbs.
HARD TO BELIEVE IT BUT,
I saved over 10 dollars per bulb since i changed them for a total of $ 350.00 Canadian difference for just half the year . the cost of the change over is covered by the savings in just 6 months and from now on i will save a lot more.
If you would present the same proof to your group i feel they would consider it

Answer 29

By having an eco-friendly lightbulb party! I'd showcase all the finest eco-friendly light bulb designs and fittings and give a full demonstration to all my friends and family emphasizing that not only will they be saving energy, but they will be saving money too.

I'd explain that although an eco-friendly lightbulb will cost more to purchase than a regular light bulb, that they can save up to £100 over its lifetime, as eco-friendly light bulbs last on average 12 times longer than regular lightbulbs!

I will give out free sample eco-friendly light bulbs to get them started with the motto, 'save money, save energy, save the planet'.

HTH : )

Answer 30

Play the film "Inconvenient Truth" at a high school and then host a "eco-friendly" light bulb fundraising sale. Families could buy boxes of the bulbs and the proceeds could benefit the school or a fundraising cause. I like this idea because it is grass roots but could potentially influence 200-600 households per school.

Answer 31

$ saved

Source(s):

myselfe