The traditional bulb has been used since the light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison 130 years ago, but is not considered sufficiently energy-efficient for the 21st century. It also fails to perform in terms of the current drive to cut energy consumption. It only converts 5% of the energy it uses into light - the rest is wasted as heat.

The Australian Government is banning traditional bulbs altogether, while This is Money reports that the UK Government is planning a 'light bulb tax' to persuade people to switch to energy-efficient bulbs. No details of the tax have been confirmed, but the Chancellor's Budget on 21 March is expected to include announcements of several 'green-themed' taxes.

As well as saving on energy, using energy-efficient bulbs can bring cost savings, despite currently being more expensive to buy than an ordinary bulb.