If every household replaced just three 60-watt incandescent bulbs with energy saving CF's, the pollutions savings would be like taking 3.5 million cars off the road!

When my friends find out that I market myself as a Green real estate professional, the next thing that comes out of their smart alec mouth is, "There's just too many things I have to change to be Green, I just don't know where to start ... and quite frankly I don't think it will make a world of difference."   Well, my buzz-kill friend ... you would be wrong on all accounts.  The part we play in this global effort, will take time for the benefits to manifest itself.  We cannot afford any longer to procrastinate the decision to start making a difference.

Here's a tip of where you can start in the process of green-ing your home.  You can start by changing out any incandescent bulbs that you may be firing in your home, to the more energy efficient Compact fluorescent bulbs.  They use a fraction of the electricity, which means lower electricity bills and millions of tons less global warming pollution.  And in the summer, because they don't burn as hot as incandescent bulbs, they'll lower your cooling bills.  Thomas Edison revolutionized the world with his first carbon filament bulb.  Though the first bulbs were actually small heaters that produced very little light - they wasted a ton of energy making that heat. 

Here's a seven step checklist you can use to start making a difference:

1. Start with one bulb.

There are lots of choices, so before switching all the bulbs in a room, try just one to make sure it gives the kind of light you want. Look for bulbs with a color temperature between 2650 and 2850 degrees Kelvin or labeled "warm white."

2. Know your watts.

Look for a CF bulb whose wattage is about one-quarter of the incandescent you're replacing. For example, a CF bulb in the 15-watt range replaces around a 60-watt incandescent.

3. Check the shape and size.

Both the CF bulb and its ballast (between the glass and the screw-in part) can be bigger than standard incandescent bulbs. Inspect your lamp or light fixture to make sure it can accommodate the CF bulb.

4. Be careful choosing CF bulbs to use with dimmers.

In order for a CF bulb to work in a dimmer, it must be specially designed to do so. Read the package before you buy a CF bulb for a dimmer-controlled fixture.

5. Look for Energy Star.

The most energy-efficient CF bulbs carry the Energy Star label, the imprimatur of the government-backed energy efficiency program.

6. Dispose of burned-out bulbs properly.

All fluorescent lights contain trace amounts of mercury. But don't worry — there is far less mercury in CFs than in thermometers or old thermostats. Plus, using these bulbs helps prevent mercury from being released into the air from coal-powered power plants. When they burn out years down the road, recycle them. Visit Recycleabulb or Earth911 to find your closest recycling location.

7. See if your utility offers rebates.

Energy-efficient bulbs help utility companies lessen their load at peak times, so sometimes they run special programs or rebates to encourage you to make the switch.

 For more tips, visit the Energy Star CFL Buyer's Guide. It has everything you need to switch to energy-efficient lights.