Five energy saving products for Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! In celebration I thought I would highlight five products that I have come across that I think could save energy, save money, and save greenhouse gases. These are culled from a much larger list of products. In most cases, I have either tried them myself or know someone who has tried them. I am not a big product promoter and am not making money off of these. But they stand out. I still think most of these products are too expensive for the average consumer, but I am going to run some numbers to see what the payback periods are for them.

1. Earth LED EvoLux bulbs: They turn on quickly like incandescents, and fit in a regular fixture. 13 watts at a 100 watt equivalent. At $80 a piece, these are pretty expensive. Over 10 years at an electricity cost of $0.10/kwh, each one would save you $212.76 including the averted cost of replacement light bulbs. These are the first LED lights for home uses that glow like an incandescent bulb.
2. CREE recessed LED down light: These award-winning lamps put out a solid glow that looks like an incandescent fixture. The intial cost is $130, about $100 more than a standard can light. But over ten years using one bulb 8 hours a day, you will save $196.20 in electricity and bulb replacement savings. The payoff is about 3 years, 3 months if your electricity costs $0.10/kwh.
3. Athalon LED exit light replacement: Replace the incandescent bulbs in your exit lights. They stay on all the time so the savings really add up. They cost about $12.95. One watt versus the 20w standard, on for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and you'll save 166o kilowatts every ten years. You'll also save $160 in electricity in ten years, plus the $18.75 in replacement bulbs minus your original bulb cost of $12.95, for a total of $165.80 . About 9.4 month payback period.
4. ScanGaugeII: Not only can this meter give you real-time mpg feedback (like what you would get on a Prius) to make you change your driving habits, it also can read diagnostic codes for your vehicle. My dad discovered he had a bad O2 sensor, and replaced it himself. He saved the cost of going to a shop, plus the vehicle runs more efficiently. Costs about $159. Estimates on savings vary. I am testing this out with a Boy Scout Venture Crew as part of an energy saving project they are doing, and will let you know.
5. Belkin Remote Control Power Strips: Yes, we know we should use power strips with surge protectors, and we do, but they are difficult to reach. Not any more. Cost- about $50. Savings- I assume you're using a power strip already, so the remote is about convenience. But if you're not, you'll save vampire power from whatever you plug into the strip.