Comments on: Change to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/ For People and Planet Earth Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:27:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: trade show booths http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-10543 trade show booths Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:42:30 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-10543 hi Will, I echo that Kristina has an interesting comment. Everything should always be put into perspective. I've been a HUGE fan of CFLs for a couple of years. I used to get four packs at Costco for about $9 I think. Then earlier this year Vons was selling four packs for $1 (yes, 25 cents per bulb). They were subsidized by our power company, Southern California Edison. I got several four packs. We've cut our electricity usage by about a 1/3, which has cut our electric bill by about 1/2 since it has taken us out of the "above baseline" tier (we have a tiered price structure. Anyway, didn't mean to be so long winded. Suffice it to say, CFLs are great (though, to equivocate, LEDs will likely someday be the way to go). ~ Steve hi Will, I echo that Kristina has an interesting comment. Everything should always be put into perspective. I’ve been a HUGE fan of CFLs for a couple of years. I used to get four packs at Costco for about $9 I think. Then earlier this year Vons was selling four packs for $1 (yes, 25 cents per bulb). They were subsidized by our power company, Southern California Edison. I got several four packs. We’ve cut our electricity usage by about a 1/3, which has cut our electric bill by about 1/2 since it has taken us out of the “above baseline” tier (we have a tiered price structure. Anyway, didn’t mean to be so long winded. Suffice it to say, CFLs are great (though, to equivocate, LEDs will likely someday be the way to go). ~ Steve

]]> By: Will http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-10395 Will Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:51:12 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-10395 Thanks for that Kristina! It is always great to know things like this. Sorting through all the information can be daunting. Thanks for that Kristina! It is always great to know things like this. Sorting through all the information can be daunting.

]]> By: Kristina Richardson http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-10394 Kristina Richardson Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:33:48 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-10394 Most CFLs today on the market contain less than 5mgs of mercury and there are CFL options out there that contain as little as 1.5mgs of mercury- which can hardly be called a “significant amounts of mercury” considering that many item in your home contain 100s of times more of mercury including your computer. Mercury levels in CFLs can never be “nonexistent” since mercury is a necessary component of a CFL and there is no other known element that is capable of replacing it. But CFLs actually prevent more mercury from entering the environment. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, “a coal-fired power plant will emit about four times more mercury to keep an incandescent bulb glowing, compared with a CFL of the same light output”. Most CFLs today on the market contain less than 5mgs of mercury and there are CFL options out there that contain as little as 1.5mgs of mercury- which can hardly be called a “significant amounts of mercury” considering that many item in your home contain 100s of times more of mercury including your computer. Mercury levels in CFLs can never be “nonexistent” since mercury is a necessary component of a CFL and there is no other known element that is capable of replacing it. But CFLs actually prevent more mercury from entering the environment. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, “a coal-fired power plant will emit about four times more mercury to keep an incandescent bulb glowing, compared with a CFL of the same light output”.

]]> By: Will http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-9164 Will Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:29:36 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-9164 Hi Rudy - I can't disagree with you, but I do think they are a good option for places safe from accidents. Just be careful installing them. That is when they are most likely to be broken. The second link in the post above talks about the mercury and links to some cleanup info. -Will Hi Rudy - I can’t disagree with you, but I do think they are a good option for places safe from accidents. Just be careful installing them. That is when they are most likely to be broken.

The second link in the post above talks about the mercury and links to some cleanup info.

-Will

]]> By: Rudy http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-9130 Rudy Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:31:37 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-9130 As someone who sells <a href="http://bulbster.com/lightbulbs/index.php">light bulbs</a> for a living, I am less enthusiastic than most about compact fluorescent bulbs. This is due to the fact that the ones currently available contain significant amounts of mercury. If one of these bulbs should break inside of a person’s home, it could cause a challenging disposal situation. It is my belief that the technology should progress to a point at which the mercury levels are low or nonexistent before people changeover their entire homes. Another consideration is that as these bulbs burn out, they will most likely be thrown away as though they are normal rubbish and landfills will have incredibly high levels of mercury in their soil as a result. As someone who sells light bulbs for a living, I am less enthusiastic than most about compact fluorescent bulbs. This is due to the fact that the ones currently available contain significant amounts of mercury. If one of these bulbs should break inside of a person’s home, it could cause a challenging disposal situation. It is my belief that the technology should progress to a point at which the mercury levels are low or nonexistent before people changeover their entire homes. Another consideration is that as these bulbs burn out, they will most likely be thrown away as though they are normal rubbish and landfills will have incredibly high levels of mercury in their soil as a result.

]]> By: Anna http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8892 Anna Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:35:35 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8892 I really like owning something that lasts forever, and on the end I got my money worth. Thanks for sharing all this stuff, and I like the idea of LED lighths. We don't use lot of bright or light in general in our house, for some reason to bright makes me hyper and then tired faster, lol, just like a carb snack. Thanks, good stuff Will. Anna :) I really like owning something that lasts forever, and on the end I got my money worth. Thanks for sharing all this stuff, and I like the idea of LED lighths. We don’t use lot of bright or light in general in our house, for some reason to bright makes me hyper and then tired faster, lol, just like a carb snack. Thanks, good stuff Will. Anna :)

]]> By: Will http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8877 Will Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:55:03 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8877 You can't beat free! I find that some take longer to warm up than others. Some seem to snap right on, others take a few minutes to reach full power. You can’t beat free! I find that some take longer to warm up than others. Some seem to snap right on, others take a few minutes to reach full power.

]]> By: Jennifer Robin http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8876 Jennifer Robin Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:44:04 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8876 We've actually gotten most of our bulbs for free. Home Depot frequently has coupons from local power companies that allow you to buy the bulbs for tax only. They come in so many different sizes; there's no reason not to switch anymore. I feel the quality of light is every bit as good, but they can seem a little dull at first because they come on low and then brighten up within just a couple of minutes. I'm willing to suffer a minor inconvenience to help conserve power. We’ve actually gotten most of our bulbs for free. Home Depot frequently has coupons from local power companies that allow you to buy the bulbs for tax only. They come in so many different sizes; there’s no reason not to switch anymore. I feel the quality of light is every bit as good, but they can seem a little dull at first because they come on low and then brighten up within just a couple of minutes. I’m willing to suffer a minor inconvenience to help conserve power.

]]> By: Mike Touch http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8846 Mike Touch Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:20:46 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8846 They help save the environment, but they hardly produce a good atmosphere. The light they give off is rather dull which I feel is the main reason most people aren't switching to more energy efficient light bulbs! They help save the environment, but they hardly produce a good atmosphere. The light they give off is rather dull which I feel is the main reason most people aren’t switching to more energy efficient light bulbs!

]]> By: Abhinav Sood http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8828 Abhinav Sood Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:36:09 +0000 http://willtaft.com/energy-use/change-to-compact-fluorescent-light-bulbs/#comment-8828 I use two Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs in my room than a single incandescent tube light. They save power and are cost effective. Apart that, light now comes from 2 opposite walls rather than from a tube on one wall, so it helps me to study without straining my eyes as in the shadow cast on the book when using a single light source. I use two Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs in my room than a single incandescent tube light. They save power and are cost effective.
Apart that, light now comes from 2 opposite walls rather than from a tube on one wall, so it helps me to study without straining my eyes as in the shadow cast on the book when using a single light source.

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