Let There Be Less Light

The average U.S. home contains approximately 45 bulbs in 30 different light fixtures. Because multiple-lamp fixtures typically provide more light than is truly necessary, you could cut your energy costs by up to 50 percent just by unscrewing half the bulbs in each fixture.

For example, if three of the six 60-watt candle bulbs in your dining room chandelier were disconnected, the fixture would continue to supply substantial light, while providing you with annual energy savings of about 65 kWh-worth more than $6-just during the dinner hour alone.

If every U.S. household cut its energy use by 65 kWh per year by disconnecting some of the bulbs in their multiple-lamp fixtures, the annual energy savings across the country would total more than 7 billion kWh. The associated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from this energy savings would be 5.5 million tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent to the average annual CO2 emissions of nearly 1 million passenger cars.

Flex Your Power
Energy Star (PDF)
U.S. Census Data