Light Rant

Australia phased out incandescent bulbs some time ago - and I found the change perfectly painless. Yes it is true that you should be careful about where and how you dispose of the compact fluorescent thingies, but it isn't really any more challenging than being discerning about what goes into your recycling bin. I don't care for the 'warm white' lights, but have changed all mine over to the day white, and even my collection of crystal lamps all look just fine with CF lights in them, in the case of the older crystal lamps, they are even better as the new lights don't give off heat at anything like an incandescent does, so I'm no longer in fear of the heat breaking the crystal. Like all new things we just have to make a leap of mindset.

Joanne

Maureen

They've been phased out here too and I see no loss. When they first came out, what maybe ten years ago, they were bad for altering colours, particularly in things like glass ornaments, but they seem to have overcome that now.

The problem isn't the colour range but the fact that they contain Mercury which is VERY nasty stuff! I KNOW they have to be disposed of properly but why in the world make something that can put Mercury into any sort of landfill?? "They" (whoever "they" are) have come out with an LED bulb that *looks* like a regular incandescent bulb, screws into a regular socket and lasts for about a bazillion years!! You can get "natural" light, too. Unfortunately, they cost a quntillion dollars each so it will be awhile before any of us can afford them -- LOL! It's nice to know they are out there tho' and will be affordable sometime in the future -- at least for our grand kids!!! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

I'm of two minds on these "new" bulbs. Yes - better lifetime, low electric consumption. But the average man on the street doesn't understand that the mercury in them is a poison and that they must go in a special recycling bin when they eventually burn out. And that if they break in the home/office, the bits need special handling. And frankly, these do scare me for just that reason.

In my town, you must bring CF's to the "transfer station", which is only open Saturdays, April to November from 7 AM to 4 PM. At least I can take ink carts and cell phones to town hall for "recycling". And given how many TVs, computers and other such items that are supposed to go to the transfer station for disposal that litter the landscape (some jerk dumped a big screen TV in my cul-de-sac last fall rather than pay the fees and I can easily think of 5-6 places where there are electronics sitting on the roadside on streets I travel frequently), light bulbs aren't going to make it there either, even if it's free.

Sorry - mercury lingers in the environment far to long, I think these are saving the planet to destroy it later.

Cheryl Rant off - posting a different rant shortly

You maybe need to get City Hall to change. We can safely dispose of things at the recycling centre pretty much anytime, any day. We also recycle old televisions and electronics, mostly because we don't want them being shipped to third world countries where children are left to pick them apart with terrible consequences.

Every time the subject of extended hours for the transfer station comes up at Town Meeting or on the ballot, it gets a "not recommended" as a "burden on the tax payers". And the CFL drop off box was nixed as a potentially hazardous situation.

Cheryl

Not just the mercury but it's been discovered in CA that they don't last nearly as long as expected and thus don't save as much electricity and promised. DB put some in his lamps and low and behold one of the new fangled blubs lasted for a shorter period of time than the old ones

DM with her macular degeneration discovered she didn't get as much light as she needed. Still needs the light from her Ottlite and her Dazor lamp. We stuck them in the dining room so we don't have to change them and folks don't need them for reading.

Nancy

They are going to be totally phased out in the US by 2014. I'm like you, Karen, I'm stocking up!!

I hate the CFLs........not nearly bright enough and last about 15 minutes!!

Trading one evil for another......contaminate with mercury to save on electricity!!

just me, Cathy from KY in CA