National Geographic magazine's cover story this month is a timely look at energy efficiency, Energy Conservation: It Starts At Home.

One side-bar to the article talks about the LED bulbs vs. CFL bulbs issue - while LEDs are the bulbs of the future, they're expensive now in relation to CFL bulbs. "With no filament, just a microchip, it (an LED bulb) uses significantly less energy than an incandescent. But the price is high and reviews are mixed." The upshot is that CFL bulbs probably make more sense now for the average consumer, but look for that to quickly change in the near future. Read more: Changing bulbs mini-article. Also worth checking out is the online Energy Conservation Quiz that links from the main article.

Looking for a way to improve your home's energy efficiency today? Take a look at the new, energy efficient National Geographic hybrid outdoor lighting collection on our site that combines solar-powered LED lights with an electric-powered CFL bulb.