Posted on 01/22/2011 8:06:33 AM PST by tobyhill
California's utilities are spending $548 million over seven years to subsidize consumer purchases of compact fluorescent lamps. But the benefits are turning out to be less than expected.
One reason is that bulbs have gotten so cheap that Californians buy more than they need and sock them away for future use. Another reason is that the bulbs are burning out faster than expected.
California's experience is notable because energy experts have placed high hopes on compact fluorescent lamps. Often spiral-shaped, they screw into existing light sockets and offer energy savings of about 75% over traditional incandescent light bulbs.
Many nations are relying on them to help cut emissions from power plants and stretch electricity supplies further. The United Nations says 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions are linked to lighting, and that adoption of compact fluorescent lights could cut pollution.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
“Another reason is that the bulbs are burning out faster than expected. “
Poor construction and cheap materials employed by Chinese manufacturers
AND
Too many and too frequent on-off cycles versus design specs.
NET: wait for LEDs to mature, THEN convert from incandescents.
Is anyone but me stockpiling regular light bulbs?
Can you say "We're just plain stupid?"
Gotta save them for granddaughter’s Easy Bake Oven.
So you know it's BS to start with.
Can anyone ell me if CFLs are available that emit natural spectrum, light?
"We change lightbulbs to use LESS electricity".
It's also nice not changing the damn bulbs every time you turn around.
Doing likewise!
Ahhh, the UN (that great scientific bastion of deep thought and research) ‘says’ that GW is due to round lightbulbs.
People will not buy the curly-fries ones because they are butt-ugly and they have mercury in them. And because it is SO important to the nanny-state that we do. Well, those are my reasons. NEVER and NEVER. Come and make me. I’ll go to whale blubber first, you Commies.
haha.
I switched to CFL's three years ago and saved $15/month on my electricity bill. I kept the warranty info for the bulbs just in case they failed before their guaranteed lifetime. So far I've only lost one bulb, and that was due to a power surge.
What if I accidentally break a fluorescent lamp in my home?
The lamp contains a small amount of mercury, but you can clean this up yourself if you do the following:
Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the breakage. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust throughout the area and could potentially contaminate the vacuum.
Keep people and pets away from the breakage area until the cleanup is complete.
Ventilate the area by opening windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before returning to begin the cleanup. Mercury vapor levels will be lower by then.
For maximum protection and if you have them, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the sharp glass.
Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass container with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar.
A glass jar with a good seal works best to contain any mercury vapors inside.
Next, begin collecting the smaller pieces and dust. You can use two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or playing cards to scoop up pieces.
Pat the area with the sticky side of duct tape, packing tape or masking tape to pick up fine particles. Wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel to pick up even finer particles.
Put all waste and materials into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup that may have been contaminated with mercury. Label the container as “Universal Waste - broken lamp.”
Remove the container with the breakage and cleanup materials from your home. This is particularly important if you do not have a glass container.
Continue ventilating the room for several hours.
Wash your hands and face.
Take the glass container with the waste material to a facility that accepts “universal waste” for recycling. To determine where your municipality has made arrangements for recycling of this type of waste, call your municipal office or go to MaineDEP.com, click on “ Fluorescent Light Bulb Information ” and look for the link to municipal collection sites
When a break happens on carpeting, homeowners may consider removing throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred as a precaution, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women.
Finally, if the carpet is not removed, open the window to the room during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.
Other jars that can be made of glass and also work are pickle, peanut butter and applesauce jars. Not ideal but also a good choice for containing breakage is a heavy duty #2 plastic container with either a screw lid or push-on lid such as a joint compound bucket or certain kitty litter-type containers.
The next time you replace a lamp, consider putting a drop cloth on the floor so that any accidental breakage can be easily cleaned up. If consumers remain concerned regarding safety, they may consider not utilizing fluorescent lamps in situations where they could easily be broken. Consumers may also consider avoiding CFL usage in bedrooms or carpeted areas frequented by infants, small children, or pregnant women. Finally, consider not storing too many used/spent lamps before recycling as that may increase your chances of breakage. Don’t forget to properly recycle your used fluorescent bulbs so they don’t break and put mercury into our environment.
If the only suitable jar available has food in it, you may need to empty it into another container before using it.....DUH...Ya' THINK so ???????
Jars, Rubber Gloves, Playing Cards, Bucket, Labels, Plastic Container, Duct Tape, Drop Cloth, Vacuum or Discard the Carpet, Ventilate, on and on and on............
NOW COMPARE THIS WITH THE SIMPLE ONE-STEP INCANDESCENT CLEANUP: PICK UP ALL THE PIECES AND THROW THEM AWAY !!!
This is but ONE example of how liberals are ruining America. The nanny state leads to more bureaucratic statism.
Sweep the methyl mercury issue under the rug.
Yes, I buy them as often as I can. Making political statements here in California right and left — I buy regular light bulbs, I ask for plastic bags (a big no-no if you are ‘earth-sensitive,’, I love In&Out (come and fine me, Michelle), etc.
Damn the Nanny Staters. Full speed ahead. Molon labe.
I'd like to get me some that emit a supernatural spectrum. Incandescents are "warmer" because they directly emulate the sun's blackbody radiation. Fluorescents fluoresce, in a number of narrow spectral lines. You can put coating on the glass that broadened the spectrum somewhat, it ain't nothing like the real thing.
Yep. Just toss them in the trash since they are burning out faster than advertised.
That would be No.
You need a filter for your camera lens to get a natural looking photograph under fluorescent light. Being just a unranked amateur don’t take what I say here as gospel. I do believe that they make a greenish tint to your pictures unfiltered.
I am sure some more schooled photographer will come along soon and correct and chastise me.
I think they also generate more ultraviolet light which damages fabrics.
Saw phrases that pointed to “progressives”.
These were: “....experts...” and “...faster than expected...”
We must learn that there are no liberal experts - only liberal D students who have lots of self respect. (They don’t have Ds on their grade cards....but remember, no one gets less than a B now.)
Once you learn the above, you understand the “...faster than expected...” part.
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