To paddyc: Ikea sells energy saving down lighters(around 5€, with a small screw fitting), but check the homepage of the manufacturers as well (Phillips,Osram etc.).
And to Clubman:
As long as nutrients are thrown into the garden they are either absorbed by the growing plants or they are leached into the ground water table.Only nitrogen would go into the air under certain circumstances. But plants don't grow all the time, in winter for example they simply stop. And when they have reached maturity they die as well, releasing the nutrients again. So sooner or later all compost receiving gardens become ground water polluters. Unless one eats the growing products or makes toilet articles from them (paper, soap etc.) . Than the nutrients would end up in the sewer instead, feeding the fish and so be recycled into natures food chain. Without effecting the ground water.
Farmers using sewage sludge from the sewage treatment plant do that to
replace mineral fertilizer. If done so by competent farmers it would benefit the environment by saving the energy for the artificial fertilizer.
What did you mean exactly with the phrase "composting and the like"?
CFLs?
Now, my percentage numbers on saving electricity are beeing confirmed not only by the SEI but also by most civil engeneers , by the ESB (!) , the Bank managers of Ireland (have you seen a bank foyer with out CFLs?) and by most shop/supermarket managers.
That is of course -we speak about percentages- if you use the electricity not for heating the home,the ratio would be a different one. Nevertheless a considerable saving is achived by using them.
You wanted to know how I heat my home. I use a modulating combi condensing boiler.So the circulation pump and the electric circuits in the boiler as well as the room thermostats combined with automatic valves at the heating circuits are the only electricity users for heating and warm tap water. All together not more than 0.13 kw/h, similar to one or two tungsten bulbs, if on full demand. But the boiler allows also for warm tap water with out the heating beeing turned on, using than 0.035kw/h of electricity. Similar to a weak tungsten bulb.
I hope that shed some light.