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ticks
Hunting Crazy
It runs a 100 watt bulb the same as a 20 watt.
Energy Saver bulbs-They work!
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the simple life
Yard Farmer
I hate to be a wet blanket here, I know everyone wants to be energy efficient and save money, myself included.
BUT, these bulbs (in my opinion) are a bad idea.
They contain mercury, 5mgs of mercury and that is nothing to sneeze at,espcially when you add up all the ones being thrown away and contaminating the earth.
What they do to the environment far outweighs the any energy savings.
Below is a blurb from a newsite and some links to back up my information.I am a mom of a mercury damaged child, please don't buy these, its not worth the risk.
Again, sorry to be a wet blanket, but I have to speak up.
Since then, the bulbs known as CFLs have bee
revamped, and strict government guidelines have alleviated most of those problems. But while the bulbs are extremely energy-efficient, one problem hasnt gone away: All CFLs contain mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause kidney and brain damage.
The amount is tiny about 5 milligrams, or barely enough to cover the tip of a pen but that is enough to contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, extrapolated from Stanford University research on mercury. Even the latest lamps promoted as low-mercury can contaminate more than 1,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels.
So, last month, the Prospect, Maine, resident went out and bought two dozen CFLs and began installing them in her home. One broke. A month later, her daughter's bedroom remains sealed off with plastic like the site of a hazardous materials accident, while Bridges works on a way to pay off a $2,000 estimate by a company specializing in environmentally sound cleanups of the mercury inside the bulb
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55213
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2007/20071008
160623.aspx
BUT, these bulbs (in my opinion) are a bad idea.
They contain mercury, 5mgs of mercury and that is nothing to sneeze at,espcially when you add up all the ones being thrown away and contaminating the earth.
What they do to the environment far outweighs the any energy savings.
Below is a blurb from a newsite and some links to back up my information.I am a mom of a mercury damaged child, please don't buy these, its not worth the risk.
Again, sorry to be a wet blanket, but I have to speak up.
Since then, the bulbs known as CFLs have bee
revamped, and strict government guidelines have alleviated most of those problems. But while the bulbs are extremely energy-efficient, one problem hasnt gone away: All CFLs contain mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause kidney and brain damage.
The amount is tiny about 5 milligrams, or barely enough to cover the tip of a pen but that is enough to contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, extrapolated from Stanford University research on mercury. Even the latest lamps promoted as low-mercury can contaminate more than 1,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels.
So, last month, the Prospect, Maine, resident went out and bought two dozen CFLs and began installing them in her home. One broke. A month later, her daughter's bedroom remains sealed off with plastic like the site of a hazardous materials accident, while Bridges works on a way to pay off a $2,000 estimate by a company specializing in environmentally sound cleanups of the mercury inside the bulb
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55213
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2007/20071008
160623.aspx
Thanks "simple life" for posting that. I wanted to mention something, but didn't have the facts. The COST of cleanup in your home, IF one breaks... is much worse than the savings you'd get from using them.
In our home... things get broke all the time. We have 5 rowdy kids!
So once we found out they have mercury, we removed them all except in one room, the laundry room and it's in a closed dome type fixture. It still scares me, as i drop things all the time... so DH is the one who will change that bulb out when it burns out! 
And where do you dispose of them? I don't want to send it in the trash.
In our home... things get broke all the time. We have 5 rowdy kids!
So once we found out they have mercury, we removed them all except in one room, the laundry room and it's in a closed dome type fixture. It still scares me, as i drop things all the time... so DH is the one who will change that bulb out when it burns out! And where do you dispose of them? I don't want to send it in the trash.
the simple life
Yard Farmer
Hi Heather,
I am not sure where you could dispose of them, its should be considered hazardous waste but people just throw them into the trash and then they break and contaminate the environment.
In my town we have a hazardwaste collection on a disignated day. Maybe if you have that type of thing they could take that off of your hands.If I can find out I will let you know.
I am not sure where you could dispose of them, its should be considered hazardous waste but people just throw them into the trash and then they break and contaminate the environment.
In my town we have a hazardwaste collection on a disignated day. Maybe if you have that type of thing they could take that off of your hands.If I can find out I will let you know.
patandchickens
Crazy Cat Lady
The $2000 cleanup toxic waste disposal thing is largely an urban myth (although you DO need to take somewhat more care cleaning up a broken CFL than a broken incandescent bulb).
See http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp for a reasonable summary of the issue.
and/or
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf
Note that the less electricity is used, the less mercury is put into the air by coal-burning power plants. So it is as not a one-sided equation as it might at first seem. People should learn more about the issue before getting entrenched in opinions on *either* side. (P.S. *all* fluorescent lightbulbs, afaik, contain mercury, not just the compact type)
To me the big problems with CFLs are that a) no real recycling infrastructure exists, hence a whole buncha them are going to end up dangerously in landfills, at least for a while; and b) they just encourage people to keep wasting the same large amount of energy, by making it cheaper to do so
Pat
See http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp for a reasonable summary of the issue.
and/or
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf
Note that the less electricity is used, the less mercury is put into the air by coal-burning power plants. So it is as not a one-sided equation as it might at first seem. People should learn more about the issue before getting entrenched in opinions on *either* side. (P.S. *all* fluorescent lightbulbs, afaik, contain mercury, not just the compact type)
To me the big problems with CFLs are that a) no real recycling infrastructure exists, hence a whole buncha them are going to end up dangerously in landfills, at least for a while; and b) they just encourage people to keep wasting the same large amount of energy, by making it cheaper to do so
Pat
the simple life
Yard Farmer
The second link pat posted tells you of some ways to disposed of the bulbs. It also has a guideline for cleaning up a broken bulb, which if you read them is still scary if you ask me. It explains how to dispose of them, and you can't just sweep them up and throw them away and anything you use to clean it up with needs to be sealed in a bag and disposed of too.
I posted the links to some sites and randomly pasted a couple of blurbs, since there was soooo much info on this. What I stated was my concern for the (irreversible?)damage to theenvironment and the repercussions this will have on future generations. I also would never have one in my house whether they have a recycling program or not. Even if you don't need a hazmat team to come in and clean who in the world wants to risk having anything with mercury break in their homes. Too many risks involved with these bulbs.I would rather live by candlelight if it came down to it.:/
I posted the links to some sites and randomly pasted a couple of blurbs, since there was soooo much info on this. What I stated was my concern for the (irreversible?)damage to theenvironment and the repercussions this will have on future generations. I also would never have one in my house whether they have a recycling program or not. Even if you don't need a hazmat team to come in and clean who in the world wants to risk having anything with mercury break in their homes. Too many risks involved with these bulbs.I would rather live by candlelight if it came down to it.:/
Colored Egg Farmer
Way Too Many Chickens
bla bla bla about mercury. think of all the heavy metals you get when you burn coal. And what about nuclear power that is more toxic than anything and guess what that is where electric comes from so i see it as if you use these bulbs and use them carefully, and dispose of them correctly your fine. Now think of all the chemicals used to make that regular lightbulb from my other chart it takes 25 regular bulbs or 10 just to match one cfl. Thats alot of glass and metal. I have never broke a cfl. and we use alot.
If you want to go on about this I have found heavy metals everywhere. Your garden hose is full of lead and some hose nozels actually have the lead warning on them.
If you want to go on about this I have found heavy metals everywhere. Your garden hose is full of lead and some hose nozels actually have the lead warning on them.
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ticks
Hunting Crazy
I should tell my parents not to use them. We are rowdy here too. Things DO get broken.
THANK YOU SO MUCH SIMPLE LIFE!
THANK YOU SO MUCH SIMPLE LIFE!
the simple life
Yard Farmer
Actually CEF, Not that I should have to explain, but I don't have any of that stuff in my house. I have gone to the great lengths of ensuring that I do not. Not only do I live in a leadpaint free home, all of my plumbing, every pipe is brand new. I don't cook on any aluminum cookware and I make sure not to purchase dishes that leech lead but I won't "go on " . Oh and by the way I do not burn coal either. So don't presume to know what I have in my house, in my yard or how I live.
You know nothing about what kind of a place I live in and if you knew anything about me from my posts I have never been the type to "go on" about anything.
I was surprised to see that you posted in a manner that is rude and seems like you are trying to antagonize me rather than to give your opinion.
In fact I thought I was through with this thread. I gave my point of view and moved on but apparently you are taking exception to someone having a different take on it which surprises me since this forum is all about discussion.
So apparently you are expecting a reply.
Just because you have never broken one lightbulb does not mean that someone else won't. Thats like saying well I have never dropped a dish in my life so no one else will.
You were extoling these bulbs virtues and I felt obligated to point out that these bulbs are not without risk, especially to the people who drop them in their homes.
Whether or not these risks relate to you or not is irrelevant, you never broke a light bulb, good for you.
There are many people who do and would like to have the facts to make their own decisions on whether thats a risk for them.
This forum is to discuss all aspects of any subject that comes up, its not one sided.
As far as your chart, that is irrelevant in regards to dropping a mercury containing light bulb in your home.
This is a seperate issue.
Oh I know, you said "bla (h) bla (h) bla (h) about mercury"
So its no big deal if someone drops a bulb made with mercury into their homes, maybe onto there floor where their children crawl around? You need to understand that this MAY be a concern to SOME people.
I know you will say, well if you clean it up correctly it will be fine.
You need to accept that there are two sides to this and people should be able to make their own decisions.
So you mention nuclear power releasing toxins into the environment , I can't control that can I?
But I can control what I bring into my home and I do to the fullest extent that I am able and I do that by educating myself.
You said "dispose of them correctly your fine"
Tell me exactly how all of these people are disposing of these bulbs correctly when most don't even know that they contain a neurotoxic substance.
The majority of the people don't know where to dispose of them or don't know they are suppose to treat them as hazardous waste and are going to throw them into the trash.
Where are you able to dispose of them where you live?
I was giving my point of view, but I think you should use tons of them, knock yourself out.
You know nothing about what kind of a place I live in and if you knew anything about me from my posts I have never been the type to "go on" about anything.
I was surprised to see that you posted in a manner that is rude and seems like you are trying to antagonize me rather than to give your opinion.
In fact I thought I was through with this thread. I gave my point of view and moved on but apparently you are taking exception to someone having a different take on it which surprises me since this forum is all about discussion.
So apparently you are expecting a reply.
Just because you have never broken one lightbulb does not mean that someone else won't. Thats like saying well I have never dropped a dish in my life so no one else will.
You were extoling these bulbs virtues and I felt obligated to point out that these bulbs are not without risk, especially to the people who drop them in their homes.
Whether or not these risks relate to you or not is irrelevant, you never broke a light bulb, good for you.
There are many people who do and would like to have the facts to make their own decisions on whether thats a risk for them.
This forum is to discuss all aspects of any subject that comes up, its not one sided.
As far as your chart, that is irrelevant in regards to dropping a mercury containing light bulb in your home.
This is a seperate issue.
Oh I know, you said "bla (h) bla (h) bla (h) about mercury"
So its no big deal if someone drops a bulb made with mercury into their homes, maybe onto there floor where their children crawl around? You need to understand that this MAY be a concern to SOME people.
I know you will say, well if you clean it up correctly it will be fine.
You need to accept that there are two sides to this and people should be able to make their own decisions.
So you mention nuclear power releasing toxins into the environment , I can't control that can I?
But I can control what I bring into my home and I do to the fullest extent that I am able and I do that by educating myself.
You said "dispose of them correctly your fine"
Tell me exactly how all of these people are disposing of these bulbs correctly when most don't even know that they contain a neurotoxic substance.
The majority of the people don't know where to dispose of them or don't know they are suppose to treat them as hazardous waste and are going to throw them into the trash.
Where are you able to dispose of them where you live?
I was giving my point of view, but I think you should use tons of them, knock yourself out.
OaklandCityFarmer
Power Conserver
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I think that many of the posts have been valid and there are some definite dangers to the overall environment regarding the use of mercury in CLF's.
However.
The actual amount of mercury in CFL's is low enough that if broken in a well ventilated room and not touched at all, the mercury will vaporize and be gone within about 2 hours. The mercury is pretty much cleaned up very easily (with precautions) and what you don't get will vaporize.
That being said.
Yes, do not touch it or use anything to touch it with that you'll ever want to use again. Yes, mercury is a highly dangerous neurotoxin that can cause many side effects. Yes, the federal, state and local governments need to do more to improve upon a program to properly dispose of CFL's. The amounts of CFL's being used now and the amounts going to landfills is increasing and this can cause more problems, IMO, for water supplies, waste management workers and other potentially bad situations.
And, let's play nice, shall we?
However.
The actual amount of mercury in CFL's is low enough that if broken in a well ventilated room and not touched at all, the mercury will vaporize and be gone within about 2 hours. The mercury is pretty much cleaned up very easily (with precautions) and what you don't get will vaporize.
That being said.
Yes, do not touch it or use anything to touch it with that you'll ever want to use again. Yes, mercury is a highly dangerous neurotoxin that can cause many side effects. Yes, the federal, state and local governments need to do more to improve upon a program to properly dispose of CFL's. The amounts of CFL's being used now and the amounts going to landfills is increasing and this can cause more problems, IMO, for water supplies, waste management workers and other potentially bad situations.
And, let's play nice, shall we?
