CFL - our take
I just joined the forum to reply to this topic. I really have a problem with gov't mandating that we use a certain type bulb without really addressing education. In my mind, it is in educating people about excessive electrical use that the answer lies - at least what part of the answer individual households are.
CFLs - do contain mercury, and no that isn't a really big issue for individual use unless you break one. But, the disposal is the real issue. Until recently, I hadn't even seen any warnings on bulbs sold in the USA about mercury or proper disposal. We did use them in a few selected fixtures for a while when the power company's power fluctuations were causing us to blow light bulbs daily. They held up to the power changes better, but still would blow. It saved us in replacement of incandescents. Now the power problem is fixed and we are putting regular bulbs back in, since the light is healthier. In order to save money, the CFLs have to be used, and our electrical usage is not mainly from lighting. We rarely have lights on, have painted and decorated the house in an energy and light efficient way as to reduce the use of the light as much as possible - BEFORE CFLs were invented or Global Warming was the buzz word. That is where education comes in:
We were educated about the benefits of saving electricity in whatever manner possible and ways to do it. It is not just for the pocketbook, but the environment. Electrical generation causes problems all the way around, and the less that is required, the healthier the planet is. So, we save money on electricity, we save the planet, and we shut off lights.
With the new CFL laws coming out, we would eventually be forced to replace all our lighting with these mercury laced bulbs. Eventually, those bulbs will have to be disposed of. That is when the new problem kicks in. Now hazardous waste disposal issues. Regular bulbs just went in the trash, these new ones must be saved an disposed of safely. In the meantime, we risk breakage, and leaking mercury. I really don't see many following recycling needs for these bulbs.
We have chosen to save energy in much more efficient ways and would like the governments to tout those manners, rather than force us to use unsafe lighting. We don't use an electric dryer, but 99% of the time use a clothesline or indoor air drying with racks and hangers. It was odd to get used to at first, but works incredibly well to keep the house humidified in the winter - saving the need of a 2nd electric appliance. Refrigerator is kept vacuumed so coils work efficiently. Lights out when not in use, and low wattage bulbs, not 100W for reading light. No excess use of yard lights. We run a 2200 sq ft house at less than half the cost of the average person in our area. No hair dryers, curling irons, etc. But, I don't know when the last time I saw a "lights out" campaign on TV was - the Jimmy Carter era probably. I've never seen so many people with so many lights on, standing in the door of their refrigerator just looking, while blow drying their hari and the tv creates a dull roar in the background going unwatched. Conservation education would go a long way here.
Finally, CFLs are not the right use for us. We put them in our patio lighting when the power was a problem. They take forever to brighten up enough to see when it is below 60 degrees out. If there is a critter on the patio, I want to see it before I walk out and face it, not have to wait 20 minutes for the bulb to warm. Farm life - we use incandescents to keep chicks heated in the early days of hatching, CFLs don't produce enough heat to do that. We will still need a lamp that heats for the chicks every spring. There has been no mention of farmers being able to get incandescents when the CFLs take over in 2012 - the latest legislation here. Then, there are the health issues mentioned. In college, I ended up wearing prescription glasses for shading because the fluorescents were giving me such headaches. Yes, a trip to the eye doctor and glasses because of the light these things give off. So, definitely not for reading by!
I feel I have become a pawn in the manipulation of political pleasure and polls. CFLs and Global Warming are buying votes at my expense. This is truly not the wave I want to see for the future. I'm still waiting for LED lighting to be a viable solution. For now, after dark, the house is mostly dark, the clothes are drying on the line, and we just enjoy life in a more simplified manner.
My thoughts - hope you aren't sorry you asked. I enjoyed reading all the responses and discussion.
No need for apologies. Welcome to the forum. I felt that was a superb post, and from a perspective many in the UK, where most of us are, won't have, as we mostly live in cities. "Critters?" The only ones we have to watch out for are hoodlums, not bears or rattlers or whatever!
V
We are all for saving energy, even if only for selfish reasons of the bill at the end of the day. But the "energy efficient" lightbulb, right now, is being forced upon us. Personally I know that I require blue-light or natural light 100w bulbs that we are all familiar with, so I'll stock up on them long-term. The problem here is "initiatives" - yes, in the usual quotes, as we are all so bored of them - insisting even by law how we live our lives.
At the end of the day, law is necessary. But I have a deep feeling that this is a hasty measure done for political purposes, and of course there is the problem of mercury poisoning.
Whatever the UK does in just the next few years re light-bulbs will have just about zero effect on global warming. The real problems are the increasing industrialisation of India and China. And I don't deny them that right, but this is the real problem.
I completely agree. I suffer from migraines and will have to stockpile "old" bulbs - but what happens when these are used up ?? Candles - methinks ( no - I'm not joking either). Perhaps I'll just have to keep the "old" bulbs for rooms in the house which are used frequently like the sitting room and have no bulbs or the eco ones in rooms I hardly ever use ??
I can't stand the eco - bulbs and they make me feel ill. I've also read recently that they can exacerbate skin conditions.
I think the Government just do these things to "look good" and although it won't make the slightest difference to global warming - at least they've done something to look good on paper. After all why bother if you make some people suffer - so long as you're not suffering yourself. This appears to be the motto of this Government whether it's eco-bulbs, floods, pensions etc. 😡
Other countries need to drastically reduce their pollution and energy consumption (including the US, China etc) and I don't mind doing my bit. What I DO mind about is the powers that be bringing in laws which reduces the quality of life for their own people. This will also put more strain on the NHS. You couldn't make it up if you tried. 🙁