We CAN save the environment!

[stihletto]

CFL-Compact Fluorescent Lamp


June 2006-
Environmental Defense claims that if every U.S. household was to replace three 60-watt incandescent bulbs with CFLs, the change could reduce pollution as much as taking 3.5 million cars off the road would.

I think most people on this forum are familiar with these bulbs. Basically, you can buy a CFL that only uses 20w of power but produces the same amount of light as a 75w traditional bulb. In time this saves you money from your electrical bill. CFLs also last 8-15 times longer than incandescent, traditional, bulbs.
But every CFL contains a small amount of mercury. So are they really better for the environment? Coal power plants put so much mercury into the air that according to the EPA, when coal power is used, the mercury released from powering an incandescent bulb for five years exceeds the amount of the mercury released by powering a CFL for the same period and the mercury contained in the lamp. And over half of our country's energy comes from coal plants.


Yesterday an interesting article appeared on the web:Mercury in energy-saving bulbs worries scientists

Recycle your lightbulbs. According to the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers, 70.8% of the mercury-lamps used by business and 98% of the lamps used in homes are not being recycled. Information on how you can recycle your's can be found at: earth911.org
Buy a cfl with low amounts of mercury.
It sounds like all philips bulbs have less mercury these days, but i know Philips has a line of bulbs called Alto which contain very low amounts of mercury. Alto bulbs can be bought at blackenergy or energy federation.
Philips also just anounced a new "Extreme Low Mercury" line: press release

So go out and change some light bulbs!

Sign up at onebillionbulbs.com where you can record your bulb change history, calculate your savings, and see the results state by state.

I got most of my info from wikopedia

[Elkhound Odin]

As board member on my condo HOA, I institued replacement of all the exterior lights with these (or similar). Bought @ Costco for about $1.50 per bulb. We did a test run on one building in Nov & Dec and found a 30% savings. I figured we would recoup the cost for the bulbs at all buldings in 3 months then it's gravy after that.

I also install these in my own condo whenever the regular bulbs burn out. I have some fixtures that would burn out every 3 months. Since installing the CFL I have not replaced in 2.5 years.

Some people don't like the bright white glow and prefer the softer yellow/blue of the incandecent bulbs. But, I think you can learn to live with the color change.

I only found the bulk packages @ Costco / Sams to be cost effective. Single bulb purchase @ Home Depot, Walmart, etc are way too expensive.

[rideit]

One word...MERCURY CONTAMINATION.

Well, that's two.
But there you have it.

[P_McPoser]

Strip mining prevents forest fires.

[ak_powder_monkey]

I ran the model, we're fucked anyway might as well embrace global warming

[Jer]

Oh stihletto - I'm so proud of you!

[stihletto]

i'm so proud of you for bumping this thread

[Dantheman]

One word...MERCURY CONTAMINATION.

Well, that's two.
But there you have it.

Would you rather have mercury contamination in a landfill where it is at least confined, or dispersed in the air so that it goes everywhere and you get to breathe it and eat it? Personally, I think the former is the lesser of the two evils.

LEDs are the real future though.