A compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) uses 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb. When you go to buy a CFL, apply the rule 4 to 1 rule of thumb. Take the wattage of the incandescent bulb you're replacing and divide by four. That gives the wattage of the CFL you should buy to replace it. Here are some examples.

* These approximate values vary depending on the CFL brand and model.

Don't throw them away . Recycle!

The Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM) and peintures récupérées du Québec have set up a service called Recyc-Fluo to pick up and recycle CFLs throughout Québec.

Hydro-Québec is working with municipalities to make the service a success by helping establish the Fonds RecycFluo to provide financial assistance to municipalities and RCMs that have signed up for it.

To find out whether the service is offered where you live and where the drop-off points are located,

• call your municipality or
• visit RecycFluo Web site.

Get a $5 rebate on every $10 spent (before taxes).

Offer good on the purchase of any of these brands of ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lamps: Blue Planet, Canac-Marquis Grenier, Eclipse, Essentials, GE, Globe, Great Value, Greenlite, Luminus, Lux Watt, Noma, Patrick Morin, Philips, Potvin-Bouchard, PRO, Prolux, Rona, Standard, Sunbeam, Sylvania, TCP, Truly.

Maximum rebate: $25. You can combine several purchases to obtain the maximum $25 mail-in rebate. The offer is valid until December 31, 2009.

*Offered by Hydro-Québec. Certain conditions apply.