Traditional bulbs waste a lot of their energy by turning it into heat rather than light. Energy Saving Recommended bulbs work in the same way as fluorescent lights, an electric current passes through gas in a tube, making the tube's coating glow brightly. This means that they use less energy and are cool to the touch.

Energy saving light bulbs last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs and can save your money. If everyone installed just one energy saving light bulb the CO₂ emissions saved would fill 2 million double decker buses. And if each house installed three energy saving bulbs, it would save enough energy to run the country's streetlights for a year.