Why should you use the swirly light bulbs?

Answer 1

It is just to maximize the amount of tubing for gas, and thus maximum amount of light capable of being generated into the normal space of an incandescent light bulb. It does not have to be "swirly" to operate.

Answer 2

The swirly light bulbs are compact fluorescent bulbs (CFB). the reason you "should" use them is because our legislators in all of their scientific and eco-friendly understanding are beginning to pass laws that ban incandescent bulbs (the roundy kind).

While CFB's do use less electircity, about 60% less on average compared to incandescents, they contain Mercury, a slightly smaller portion than is in the six-foot tubes used in schools and offices the world over. Consider also that in most municipalities, if a standard six-foot fluorescent tube breaks in a school or office, the organization must conduct HAZMAT operations to clean it up, an expensive endeavor at best.

So, break a bulb and spend several hundred dollars to clean it up. Or, spend several hundred dollars to power a different, less eco-dangerous light fixture.

Sort of a Sword of Damocles type of situation.

Or, you could put out a little more buying the bulb and purchase an LED that will use about 95% less power and you could carpet your house with and have little to no environmental impact.

Answer 3

The amount of energy used is the greatest difference and what causes that difference is the way the light is generated. The "swirly" light bulb is using florescent technology to make light which is more efficient than the incandescent method used in standard light bulbs.