 |
|
BANG FOR THE BITE
If you replace ten 100W light bulbs with CFLs, you’ll reduce the same amount of CO2 that an SUV emits over a year.
COCKTAIL FACT
The power output of a human heart is 1-5 watts.
| SAVE TO MY BITES |  |
FORWARD TO A FRIEND:
RATE THIS TIP:
How useful is this tip to you?
(5 is the highest)
home › tip library › Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
How many Biters does it take to change a light bulb?
The Bite
Who cares, as long as they’re using compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)? Incandescent bulbs might still rule the sockets, but they’re very inefficient. Conserve energy and cash by switching all your bulbs to CFLs - even if the ones you’ve got still work.The Benefits
- CFLs are more expensive off the shelf, but by replacing a 100-watt bulb with its CFL equivalent, you’ll save $100+ in electricity costs over the lifetime of each bulb.
- Conserve major energy. Incandescents are energy black holes - only 10% of the energy they use is converted to light; the rest is turned into heat.
- Most lights suck (energy) and then they die. Not CFLs - they’ll last up to 15 times longer than your average incandescent. Meaning you’ll spend less time changing bulbs, and more time counting all the cash you’ve saved.
Personally Speaking
Heather remembers trying out the early CFLs - which were about as bright as candles - as an undergrad. It wasn’t until Jen brought Heather a couple of Fresh2 bulbs as a housewarming present (not the sassiest of gifts, but...) that she was convinced to replace all 7 lights in her tiny apartment.Wanna Try?
You won’t need to replace your lamps - CFLs fit into traditional light sockets. They’re also easily found at the supermarket or hardware store.- Fresh2 - no kidding, these bulbs kill odors as they light up ($12).
- Kill A Watt - measure the energy your lamps and other appliances are using ($27).
- Make the Switch Campaign - we love a good challenge. Environmental Defense is daring us to get all of you Biters to take the CFL pledge.
- Earth911 - check to see if your city has recycling facilities for fluorescents (many do), since they contain mercury. Some stores, such as Ikea, will do the dirty work if you bring ‘em in.
- Should you replace right away, even if you just installed a new incandescent? Incandescents are cheap, and CFLs save so much energy, we recommend replacing ASAP.
Jun 26,2006
Sponsor
All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Cheaper than a Shrink
OK, maybe you - like me - suffer occasionally from the summer doldrums (people think I'm nuts, but honestly, while spring and fall rock my world, summer can make me consider bridge jumps).
Fortunately, however, I have come up with a cure for what ails me. This summer, every day, I am going to try to do one thing that makes me feel like I'm making a little change for myself and the world (sounds suspiciously like the mission of this company, doesn't it?)
Seriously, though - it's bizarre. What shopping therapy does for some, "green therapy" does for me. I can't explain to you how great I feel when I fill up my SIGG bottle or put in a faucet filter instead of buying a bottle of water. I love saying "Oh no, I don't need a bag" at the drugstore. I get completely weird satisfaction from putting my used ink cartridges in the mail and sending them back to the manufacturers. I feel all warm and fuzzy when I look around my bathroom and realize that - with a few exceptions - I have a nearly paraben-free beauty habit.
But I gotta say - changing those CFL bulbs takes the cake.
Try it. CHANGE at least ONE of your lightbulbs to a CFL version. (Then go to Environmental Defense and let them know you did it - they are keeping track). It's amazing how good it makes you feel. You unscrew the one, screw in the CFL version, turn it on (waiting that caught-breath half-a-beat waiting time that it takes the CFL to light up), and... drum roll...
Viola! Instant feel-good.
They might be more expensive than regular lightbulbs - but think of it this way: even putting aside the fact that they pay for themselves in energy savings:
They are a LOT cheaper than therapy.
-Heather... off to thin the blossoms off my heirloom tomatoes...
Biter Comments...
They can be cheap to buy too! You can buy a package of 8 at Costco for $15!!! They are the equivalent of 60W. And they also have the 40W equivalent.
Definately something to check out. I changed all the lightbulbs in our house after finding these!
Any ideas for changing out the flood lights in my ceiling?
LA:
sure, here's a good source where i buy from:
http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/25_44
I'm a big fan of CFLs, and use them in all my fixtures and lamps. However, I recently learned a troubling fact about these bulbs: they contain mercury. Would love to hear if anyone knows of mercury-free CFL.
My soon-to-be-husband and I recently bought a house that needed some TLC. We've had to replace a lot of lights, and for the most part, we've made sure they are all using CFLs. However, the last time I went to Home Depot, the only CFLs they had were individually packaged. I had one of the guys hunt me down the one remaining multi-pack they had, but I ended up buying a pack of incandescents for another size I needed. I just couldn't see negating the benefit of the CFL by buying them each individually packaged in mounds of plastic! I told the Home Depot guy as much, and he agreed that it didn't make much sense.
Anyways, I was just wondering if anyone else had encountered this?
What about the buzz? Maybe I just have sensitive ears, but are there any CFLs that don't buzz?
CFLs do contain mercury, but Earth 911 http://www.earth911.org has info about how to properly recycle the bulbs (punch in your zip code, then go to Household Hazardous Waste and look for 'fluorescent bulbs'). Here in Minneapolis, for example, the electric company covers the cost of the recycling at the county recycling center. Alternatively, it provides coupons to cover part of the cost for recycling CFLs at local hardware stores. Finally, Earth 911 also lists national recyclers with mail-in programs. Happy recycling, people!
avery, i couldn't locate any mercury-free CFLs last i looked...but, that said, CFLs actually constitute less of a mercury threat than traditional incandescents. That makes sense to me...unless you're already near 100% renewable power, but even then, you've still got the tremendous energy savings.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/06/what_about_merc.php
veronica, last i knew, most manufacturers resolved the buzzing issue, but it could be that i either don't hear it, or buy the "non-buzzing" brands!
the packaging's tough...but i bet a quick life cycle would show that even single CFL with packing works out "better" than traditional incandescents.
and LED seems best of all if you can go that way!
There is just no good reason not to switch. I spent just over $100 to replace all 21 light bulbs in my house last year, including the motion-sensitive outdoor lighting, garage lights and closet lights. My electricity bill went from $20 to $8 per month, meaning the bulbs paid for themselves in less than a year. There is little or no difference in light quality. As for the buzzing, try a lower wattage bulb - that did the trick for me.
Has anyone been using CFLs for long enough to know if their "superior longevity" is true? I bought some about 8 years ago, and after a couple of years they went dim, then finally conked out six months later. The bulb itself is replacable, however I could never find one, so I ended up throwing the whole thing out. Bummer.
How about LED Christmas lights? I bought a few strings last year and am VERY happy with them. I hope more are available this year.
Hi, I know I'm getting exponential but the mercury issue is nagging my mind. If tons of people convert to CFL's and otherwise well meaning folks end up not recycling the mercury I'm sure it will add up eventually as an issue.Can't these otherwise conscious little bulbs be made mercury free? What if I drop a few over the next few years while I'm screwing them in? Are my organically fed, solar livin,vegetarian,non TV'd four children in danger of mercury poisoning? Do regular light bulbs contain mercury?How do you clean up the broken ones? I'm open to switching over but am I just opening a new can of worms?
I bought some of the Fresh2 bulbs about a month ago. They work well and I don't notice any buzzing. The freshness is a bit like coming into a newly cleaned hotel room. I can't think of another way to explain it.
The bulbs are a better wattage and price if you buy direct from them here:
http://www.fresh2.com/index.html
It takes awhile to get your order though.
Great tip, as usual! :-)
Thought I'd point out a light bulb advertisement that I saw in the current issue of "Natural Home" magazine:
IonLite
http://www.ionlite.com/products/
It's an energy efficient light bulb that also emits negative ions (which supposedly help clear the air of smoke, pollen, dust, etc.)
Hmmm...has anyone tried these?
some quick thoughts...and the limits of my experience with CFLs:
1) light variations -- lighting designs utilize different CFLs for different elements of a home. color variation (the "color temperature") is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). if i remember right, CFLs range from warmer, reds & yellows at lower K (2,700) to cooler blues (6,200 - 6,500). so for kitchens, i'd guess you'd go higher.
2) the mercury thing. i'd argue...not really a worry. CFLs contain about 1/100 of the mercury present in a typical household thermometer, about 5mg of Hg for CFLs versus maybe 400 to 500 mg for your average thermometer. if one breaks, just be careful to not touch the mercury directly. but i agree, if not addressed, there's definitely a possibility of harm from millions of CFLs, cumulatively through time, in landfills. how big a risk...no clue really, but i definitely don't think there's really any health risk.
3) the negative ion stuff. i'd be wary of the claim, as cool as it sounds. there's different wall finishes that make the same claim (i almost selected a few for a condo buildout i planned), and if they're anything like the ionic breeze or that sharper image air purifier, they actually pollute the air.
check out NPR for the research making this conclusion (among others):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3851857
oops, wrong link there (it's late!) but i believe that same scientist at SU conducted the study. for some reason, google's not helping at the moment.
Does anyone know how loud a roomful of CFL flood lights* would be?--29 to be exact. The reason why I ask is because I'm deaf, so I just don't want others to be irritated by the hum.
*I think they're called flood lights..Anyways, they're sort of circular and maybe 3 inches in diameter, and in a ceiling that is about 2 stories high.
I purchased "flood " CFL bulbs at Target (at a very reasonable price) for the three track lights in my kitchen. I don't hear a thing.( or maybe I always hear humming and am just use to it due to the many nights I spent standing next to huge speakers, as I was quite fond of live rock-n-roll bands.) Anyway, I think its really thoughtful of you to be concerned about annoying others : ) but my guess is they won't hear a thing.
mine never buzz. some go sooner than specified, others longer...i think it depends on frequency of usage.
i'd guess that noise would be something with the earlier version ballasts, and a friend mentioned something about using a CFL not specified for dimmers with a dimmer switch.
buy a few, some wine/beer/alcohol & invite friends over...that's a good enough reason for a party to me!
I have tried 4 times to add CFL to my condo. What I find is that they burn out quicker than the traditional bulbs. I am careful not to put them in the lights that dim, etc. they cost a bomb up here in WI and they don't last as long as the reguluar old GE bulbs..Any suggestions as to what can be going on? Our condo is about 38 years old, but we just had an electrican out to put in a new box in the basement and he didn't think we had any problems with our place besides the old fire hazard box. HELP!
I was complementing myself for reading by the light of a CFL in my gooseneck lamp (task-lighting) when I realised that there was some gorgeous diffuse light entering the room from a nearby north-facing window.
CFLs do contain mercury but in very small amounts. The largest contributor of mercury to air pollution are coal-fired power plants. By using CFLs, you reduce our need for the coal power plants and thus reduce the amount of mercury in the air, helping protect both environmental and public health. So, CFLs are definately better than incandescent for all the reasons stated previously but it is key not to break them. There is only a small amount of mercury in the bulb, but if it breaks it cannot be readily cleaned-up as the mercury is in a vapor form. There are CFLs that contain less mercury than others, so look for those if you are particularly worried. And otherwise, just treat them with care and dispose of them properly (www.earth911.org) and its not an problem.
We have tried CFLs since they were first on the market. Unfortunately, I have severe tinitus (ringing in the ears) and have yet to find a CFL that does not drive me crazy with buzzing. I buy the best long life incandescents I can find, and I do keep hoping . . .
As my husband and I traveled (in our fuel efficient car) to visit my mom, I was thrilled that the hotels at which we stayed used CFL bulbs. Yes, I have written the upper managements to thank them. We stayed one night with my best buddy, and the bulb in her bedside reading lamp was burned out. We just left things as they were (she's got a very tough workload, and few guests.) If there had been time, I would have gifted her with a CFL bulb, but maybe next trip.
Hi - Does anyone know if or when CFL's have a dimmer version? Thanks
I know that www.EnvironmentalLights.com has a very nice selection of dimmable CFL's. They also carry a large selection of LEDs for directional lighting.
I recently changed all the bulbs in my apartment to CFL's and they emit the same amount of lighting that I had with the old incandescent bulbs. If I didn't know I have CFL's, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I haven't received my first power bill yet, but I have no doubt that I'll notice a big difference within the first few months.
Now I just have to convince my condo association to change all the bulbs in the hallways... :) Wish me luck!
I am a lighting specialist and have been for 16 years. Screw-in CFL's are but one choice in energy saving lighting now available.
CFLs with electronic ballasts (power supply) are lighter weight, instant-on, and silent.
Buy the major brands, Philips, GE, & Osram-Sylvania for the best color and life.
Incandescent color is in the 3000 Kelvin range, daylight is in the 5000 Kelvin range.
Look for CRI (color rendering index) of 82 or higher, CRI loosly translates to color accuracy so a CRI of 82 is approximately 82% color accurate.
Look for 10,000 hour life, minimum.
For best results, buy new fixtures that incorporate fluorescent light sources.
Ruud makes several excellent outdoor fixtures.
Pay more for a fixture and get a fixture that is
1) easier to install;
2) produces more light per watt or is more efficient.
3) produces a specific beam pattern suitable to your needs.
4) is easy to re-lamp.
5) is esthetically more pleasing.
Waldmann makes excellent desk lamps designed for business use. I have had mine for 10 years. My Waldman uses 2 - 9 watt tubes and replaces my 100 watt swing-arm lamp. The light is glare free and does not interfere with computer monitor images. The arm locks and has never sagged.
Many manufacturers make LED desk lamps which are the most efficient available. Ask to take one on approval to use in your home to see if you like the light quality.
Feel free to reply with questions. Lighting is important and more so with the large number of older Americans who need up to 20 times more light than 20 year olds.
I have several lamps that take a 3-way bulb. I have not found any 3-way CFLs.
Is it alright to put in a 1-way CFL or better yet where can I find a 3-way CFL if they make such a thing yet?
Philips and GE for 3 way CFLs
Each has a web site.
A one wattage CFL will work, you will have to turn switch twice to energize.
I know EnvironmentalLights.com has 3 way CFLs and dimmable CFLs. I have ordered both types of bulbs and love them!
I am tired of reading how great CFLs are. I would like to use them, and in fact, I have purchased probably 50 or more in the past couple years, in an attempt to save energy, money, and find a brand that worked. My conclusion, based on my experience, is that these bulbs are a marketing gimmick with no environmental value.
The light color does not bother me. What bothers me is that they burn out so quickly. I have called their manufacturers and received numerous replacement bulbs which just burn out again. One customer service person explained to me that repeated heating and cooling can cause microfractures in the glass that cause the gas to leak out. That might explain why my outdoor applications fail most quickly. Then there are the ones in my kitchen overhead. I replaced the dimmer switches first, then replaced the floodlight style bulbs in recessed lighting. In one year, I have now replaced all 6 bulbs three times each, gradually reverting back to incandescent bulbs which are the original bulbs I saved from the initial replacment! I also have the bulbs in my basement, where they are seldom used, and while some of them have now lasted a year, a few have failed as well.
The worst brand appears to be "Felt Electric." Those are lucky to last 30 days. But I've tried bulbs from Costco, BJs, Home Depot, Lowes--whatever, they all suck. In fairness, however, in my basement in my previous house there was one "old school" non compact, flourescent bulb that faithfully emitted a sickening yellow hue for nearly 4 years. But the newer, spiral bulbs fail as fast as I can replace them!
It is possible I'm doing something wrong--maybe the current in my house is not stable enough or something? I'm just disgusted with it all though.
Dave - the better CFLs are rated for a 10,000 hour life or 2 to 5 years in most residential uses.
Short life may be the result of too much heat.Too much heat can blacken tubes or cause circuitry to fry (they smell like fried electronics).
The major brands GE, Osram/Sylvania, and Philips all have designed their CFLs for a wide range of operating conditions, all have web sites.
Outdoor use requires outdoor rated CFLs or dedicated fixtures. The most common are CFLs with sealed covers and packaging that says outdoors. Outdoor CFL packaging will also give you a temperature range for operation. You can fudge the numbers by using a lower wattage and starting the CFL during the day then running them 24/7 until the temperature increases.
Floodlight CFLs have a reflector (think bell shape) that is engineered to maximize and direct the CFL light. Philips Marathon series has snap-on reflectors that can be re-used.
Overhead kitchen lighting is often recessed. Is yours? If so, are the fixtures vented or sealed? Older fixtures are vented and leak heat and light to the space above. Odds are the fixture is causing heat build up and failure.
There are dimmable CFLs that work in specific dimmers. Start with Philips Marathon lamps and then check other major manufacturers.
Microfractures are rare. The glass is designed to keep a secure seal over the life of the CFL. The glue used to attach the glass to the lamp creates a stronger bond as the CFL is operated.
Voltage variation sometimes affect CFL use, often on rural systems.
One final suggestion for floodlighting.
Consider a new fixture designed for the area to be lit. Some use plug-in CFLs, some use metal halide.
Outdoor use will require a wet location or damp location label from UL (Underwriters Labs) or ETL (similiar)for safe operation.
Dave if you can tell me the make and model of your fixtures, I may be able to give you a specific CFL recommendation.
The only problem I have experienced with CFLs is when I tried to use them in garage door openers. The operator works fine until the light is energized, then it emits so much RF interference that the operator refuses to function until the light cycles off. It took a while to figure out what the problem was, but being an electrician and also familiar with RFI as a ham operator, I went back over my tracks. When I unscrewed the CFL, the operator worked as it should; screw it in - good for one operation until light goes out. This has caused me to not trust them in close proximity to any RF sensitive equipment, which might include TVs, PCs, routers and burglar alarms, to name a few instances. This has cut down my usage of CFLs at home to just a few. One note - I use two of them in an older opener on the other side of my two car garage with no ill effects in either. Obviously some circuits are more sensitive to the noise than others.
Might I suggest that these bulbs may end up causing more harm to the environment in the long run. Forcing people to use CFL's is one thing but how will we force them to dispose of these CFL's properly. If they are not disposed of properly we could contaminate our drinking water as well as our rivers and oceans. Do any of you know what to do if a CFL breaks? The EPA suggests leaving your home for 15 minutes because of the mercury exposure! Do more research on this subject because I don't think you have thought it through. What will the effect on the environment be when these CFL's start piling up in landfills?? I love IdealBite but they are wrong on this one! Check out this article for more info...copy&paste into your browser...
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55948
In contrast to the person up above with frequent burnouts, I lived in my last place for 7 years and never changed a single CFL bulb. I put them in when I moved it. I did have to change flourescent tubes in the garage and lizard tank but did not replace any CFLs. I have one task light that has had the same CFL bulb for 12 years now. But I am not much of a light person. I don't need them in the daytime and rarely use more than task lighting in the evenings. It isn't really the time in years but how much they are on. If a light is on all the time, it will burn out faster. If you have frequent surges or brownouts that can damage electronics as well.
Disposal is an issue but we have toxic waste dropoff every two weeks in my community with a large public outreach and awareness program. I just moved and spent about $75.00 changing all the bulbs to CFLs. I know I'll get my moneys worth.
I get my CFL's from buylighting.com. I have several daylight balanced 100w equivalent bulbs that I use all the time. They were a bit pricey ($10 each) but I'm a college student and I have been dragging them with me for 3 years through dorm rooms and apartments and use them as primary light sources, not just task lighting.
The reason I mention that website is because they offer every type of light being discussed (dimmable, outdoor, indoor, cool, warm, ect...) and also offer a brand called neolight. This brand of light only uses 1mg of mercury in their bulbs, and could be a really good answer for all the people who have expressed concernes about environmental issues with CFL's.
You should remember that these bulbs save electricity, which in America means burn less coal. Coal burning releases mercury into the air as well, and the 5mg in your bulb is nothing compared to the amount released by coal burning even for the CFL, never mind 12x that for an incandescent. According to the epa (epa.gov/mercury) coal burning in the US puts about 58 tons of mercury into the air each year.
Although pricey, buylighting.com also offers CFL recycling. For $80 they send you a container that can hold about 90 CFL's, so you would probably have to get your whole neighborhood onboard for this one, or be the one or two people on this tread that use dimmers/have old electrical systems are are going through CFL's like crazy.
I purchased an "energy - efficient" three way light bulb for my living room lamp. I screwed it in the socket, turned it on and it immediately caught fire, ruining the switch on my lamp. I noticed it was made in China. Now I have to put a new switch in my lamp. So much for savings. I took the bulb back, needless to say. Am now leery.
My CFLs keep burning out very quickly, sometimes within a week of outting them in. Is it because they are replacing the floodlights in my kitchen "cannister" lights? There are 6 lights altogether ion the same switch. Is it my wiring?
Thanks for feed back!
TO: Mary
Is there a dimmer for the switch? If yes, you need dimming CFLs.
Also replace a floodlight with a CFL floodlight, Sylvania, and Philips have good, dependable CFL reflectors.
Heat may be a problem. is the socket adjustable up and down? Lower the socket so the reflector edge is 1/2" to 1/4" above the ceiling.
If the socket is not adjustable, buy a 1" medium base to medium base extender. These will give you a socket 1" below what you now have.
Finally, if there is a cover to the recessed fixture, remove it and see if the light quality is ok. Covers trap heat.
To the many questions about mercury.
Mercury is one of the most toxic materials in nature. CFLs require a miniscule amount of mercury to operate.
Some suggestions
1) adults to handle and install CFLs.
2) bag spent CFLs for a toxic waste facility. GE, Philips, and Sylvania have information on disposal on their web sites. Many communities handle CFL disposal.
3) do not force CFL into fixtures. force will cause micro cracks in the glass, and may damage your fixtures.
4) Consider the many benefits when considering the mercury of a CFL. Each CFL has a dramatic effect on reducing pollutants and can eliminate the need for new power plants.
Also, look for the new slimmer and smaller CFLs from GE, Sylvania, and Philips. They are called mini or T2 for the diameter of the fluorescent tube.
Arthur
Keep your eye on LCD technology. CFLs will go down as the Betamax of lighting in the near future.
Correction to my last of October 10, 2007 at 4:55 PM:
LCD should have been written "LED" (light emitting diode).
I have been replacing my incandescent light bulbs at home with CFLs and I have been very pleased. Over the past few months I have changed most of them and already have seen a decrease in my electric bill! The brand I bought was called n:vision. They have a site: http://www.nvisioncfl.com/ and they also have an energy saving calculator so you can compare: http://www.nvisioncfl.com/savings-calculator.aspx
I have always hated fluorescent lights, the buzz, the flickers, actually feel nauseated when I'm around them very long. One of my friends has a severe sensitivity and can't go in buildings with fluorescent (yes, that's very limniting), her son gets very hyperactive around fluorescent. Since I can't wait to get away from them when I visit someone with them it's very doubtful I'll ever bring them into my home on purpose!!!
I wanted to do a quick update here. The newer, and name-branded versions of the CFLs, including ones that specifically say they can be used for track lighting, appear to work well. I think my problems with bulbs burning out after a short period of time, were due to quality issues of the cheap bulbs I had. And with respect to the last comment here...CFLs do not buzz or flicker, but they are a colder light. But they save money and energy, especially when you can buy them with rebates and all.
I'm all for CFLs and have replaced many "can" lights at home with them. But I'm noticing many/most are manufactured in China which raises some side issues: transportation, handling of waste in China, labor practices, support of US industries. Shouldn't we be encouraging purchase of domestic CFLs when we promote this change?
Leslie Johnson
Waste Reduction Specialist
Clark County Washington
I live where the temperatures get down to -20F to -30F often during the winter. I have yet to see any that will work down in that temperature range.
I have never had a CFB last more than 1.75 years. I had one in my kitchen get really hot and filled the room with smoke. Probably would have caught fire if I hadn't caught it in time.
For me, closest recycling center for these is easily 500+ miles. Everyone I know in my town just throws them in the trash so they are not being recycled.
Sending them to the factory for replacement is not worth it as the cost of shipping makes it prohibitive.
I have followed every recommendation I can find to baby these bulbs into a longer life but it just doesn't work.
I still buy them because I am trying to help the energy situation and environment but I am also beginning to think they are a waste.
I bought CFL's and replaced most of the fixtures in my home with these. My home has wireing from 1965 which is aluminum. One day 3 rooms of my home had no electricity so after pulling down every light fixture to see if I could find live wires, the last light fixture I pulled down had all burnt wires in it. This light fixture was less then a year old. Also my light fixtures that had CFL bulbs would flicker when used for extended periods of time. It sounded too good to be true and it was! I now have to replace a main electrical line back to my electrical box.
CFLs I have purchased have lasted a very short time and one caught fire on me as soon as I put it in my lamp, burning out the switch. The mercury content also makes me highly nervous. People do not realize how extremely toxic they are. As far as I know there is no special way to dispose of them......so does all that mercury end up in landfills - eventually leaching out into the environment?
I've tried to adopt CFLs, but like Barbara and some others, but I find that I'm spending way too much money replacing burned-out bulbs. I have recessed cans in approximately 1500 sq ft of my home. I've now tried three generations of CFLs... the first were standard twisties; the second were an early reflector type; the latest are reflectors specifically designed for recessed fixtures. I've seen very poor life from all these types. Most expire after just 2-5 months of use at 4-6 hrs a day. I've looked at LEDs, but they're far too expensive for now. I can't imagine that the energy I'm supposed to save can make up for the high acquisition, replacement and disposal costs. Sorry, but I'm going back to incandescents for now.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: JS | June 25, 2006 at 08:04 PM