Energy–Efficient Reading Lamps

During this season of limited daylight, a good, adjustable reading lamp--as well as good ambient lighting--is essential for seeing detail and preventing eye strain. You can enhance the energy efficiency of most lamps you already own by replacing standard incandescent bulbs with Energy Star-rated compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use two-thirds less electricity and can last up to 10,000 hours.

If you're ready to invest in a new lamp, however, consider a model designed to incorporate CFLs or the emerging light emitting diode (LED) technology. Currently, the energy savings you get with LEDs and CFLs are about the same, says Scott Sawicki of LED-bulb manufacturer Nichia, but "you can get four times the amount of life out of an LED compared with a compact fluorescent bulb. Under ideal conditions, an LED can last 50,000 hours," he says. CFLs offer six different variations on white light, says David Brooks of ...