Fluorescent light bulbs - save the earth?

I'm concerned about the earth. I like the idea of solar power, etc. But I have issues about the benefits of hybrid cars and fluorescent bulbs.

I was all ready to change out my bulbs to fluorescent, but I got to thinking are they not hazardous material? Then I checked the GE website:

"What do I do with a CFL when it burns out? What is the proper disposal of a CFL bulb?
Follow these guidelines to dispose your CFL properly:
• Like paint, batteries, thermostats, and other hazardous household items, CFLs should be disposed of properly. Do not throw CFLs away in your household garbage if better disposal options exist. To find out what to do first check www.earth911.org (where you can find disposal options by using your zip code) or call 1-877-EARTH911 for local disposal options. Another option is to check directly with your local waste management agency for recycling options and disposal guidelines in your community. Additional information is available at www.lamprecycle.org. Finally, IKEA stores take back used CFLs, and other retailers are currently exploring take back programs.

• If your local waste management agency offers no other disposal options except your household garbage, place the CFL in a plastic bag and seal it before putting it in the trash. If your waste agency incinerates its garbage, you should search a wider geographic area for proper disposal options. Never send a CFL or other mercury containing product to an incinerator."

Not sure this is a good way to go...........

 

Just buy some pollution credits and move on.

 

lol

"What should I do if a CFL breaks?

Because there is such a small amount of mercury in CFLs, your greatest risk if a bulb breaks is getting cut from glass shards. Research indicates that there is no immediate health risk to you or your family should a bulb break and it’s cleaned up properly. You can minimize any risks by following these proper clean-up and disposal guidelines:
• Sweep up—don't vacuum—all of the glass fragments and fine particles.

• Place broken pieces in a sealed plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards of glass or fine particles. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well.

• If weather permits, open windows to allow the room to ventilate."

 

I like the idea of CFLs, but a couple years back I tried 6 of them in my house & not a single bulb survived a full year. They generally fail due to a fault in the built in starter - and I disassembled & repaired 2 bulbs where that was the case...but they still failed in quite short order. I don't know too many folks who are either nuts enough or skilled enough to dig into the plastic encapsulated guts to attempt repairs at all. If you have better luck with them - more power to you, but I'm not convinced at this date.

 

Interesting.........

Hazardous material and last a year.........

 

Ofcourse there is also the other end of that spectrum. A 2 years back I bought a pack of three designed to replace 60-watt soft-white lamp lights to put in my overhead light in my room at school. A single one of the pack of three (never even had a reason to take the other two out of the package) has survived through two moves and has yet to burn out, and is still putting out as much light as it did from the start. Being a student, I've got that light on all the time trying to read/study.

I've actually been hoping that it would burn out sometime so that I could justify going back a normal light-bulb, although I may not do that at this point since I'm now living with a bunch of slobs that are constantly leaving high-power devices (read, big screen CRT tvs and accompanying bose stereo system) on all day, regardless of whether they are there or not. Plus they leave lights on everywhere, so I went and put my extra bulbs in the fixtures when the lights finally burnt out. They will be conveniently left there when I graduate in the coming months...

 

Some flourescent bulbs give me a headache. they flicker and they suck.

 

The 'touchy', 'feel good' ideas to save the planet from our evil no good for nothing selves often create more problems that few people anticipate.

Flourescants cause Cataracts, BAN THEM!

 

You sound like a genleman and a scholar.

Look me up if and when you get to Aspen.

Ciao

 

will do, sir!