Green Chicago Kids:
Take Action
Here's a list that can get you to TAKE ACTION now! These are actionable items that are easy for you and your kids to do.
Print out the list, and see if you can do all 10!
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1. Replace your incandescent lightbulbs with fluorescent light bulbs | _____ | |
2. Unplug electrical items around the house that aren't in use | _____ | |
3. Put together a bag of old clothing and donate to charity | _____ | |
4. Gather used toys and donate to needy children | _____ | |
5. Contact Direct Marketing Assn to get off junk mail lists | _____ | |
6. Get your kids a library and check out some books | _____ | |
7. Have kids use a lunchbox or reusable bags instead of brown bags | _____ | |
8. Recycle batteries at a local Walgreens or Chicago Public Library | _____ | |
9. Play and learn on the Illinois EPA Activity Pages. | _____ | |
10. Turn off lights when you leave a room | _____
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So what's the big deal about compact flourescent lights?
The old:
Incandescent Light Bulb
...is basically a wire that sits inside of a glass tube. When you turn on the light, an
electrical current runs through the wire, which heats the wire up hot enough to produce light.
This is not very efficient though, since only 10% of the energy used by the bulb creates light. The rest of that energy is simply given off as heat, thereby wasting a lot of
electricity.
The Average Life Hours is 5000
The new:
Compact Fluorescent Light
The compact flouresecnt light's glass tube contains an inert gas, liquid metal, and phosphorus - and no
wires. When the light is turned on, the electrical current passes directly from one end of the tube to the other and causes a chemical reaction between the materials that are inside of the tube. This reaction is what creates light, without the creation of the heat of an incandescent lamp.
This light:
- uses 66% less energy
- lasts up to 10 times longer.
- Has Average Life Hours of 10,000.
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