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2009-05-05 Science & Technology

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Posted by Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-05 09:37|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11130 views ] Top

#1 Ah, the Law of Unintended Consequences. Much of the US is in a "no release of mercury, not no way, not no how" mode. Hard to see how these bulbs fit in.

Posted by Spot">Spot 2009-05-05 10:13|| 2009-05-05 10:13|| Front Page Top

#2 they will save up to 5m tons of carbon dioxide a year

Who wants to bet that the actual number is closer to zero. Any takers?

Posted by Iblis 2009-05-05 12:08|| 2009-05-05 12:08|| Front Page Top

#3 This loss of incandescent light bulbs begins in the US with the outlawing of 100W bulbs in 2012 and all incandescent bulbs by 2014. Already, efforts are being made to get rid of lamps with traditional sockets, so stock up on decades worth of sockets, bulbs and higher current switches.

I will add that mercury destroys aluminum, by cutting through its protective layer of aluminum oxide and not allowing it to reform. When unprotected, aluminum metal is highly unstable, and very rapidly rusts. This is why mercury is usually strictly prohibited aboard aircraft unless under strict control.

Even worse, when a mercury bulb is broken, it creates a hazmat situation, which technically requires an emergency response, even in a private home.

Once again, we have the jackasses on Capital Hill and president W. Bush to thank for this b.s.

Posted by Anonymoose 2009-05-05 14:11|| 2009-05-05 14:11|| Front Page Top

#4 This another scare tactic of the media to confuse people into inaction. Burning coal also releases mercury, and worse, into the atmosphere instead of stored in the bulb where they can safely disposed of. CFLs are also 4X more efficient than incandescents. In the US, the amount of coal not burned vs. incandescents actually decreases environmental mercury, even if all the CFLs were broken open.

Posted by ed 2009-05-05 15:34|| 2009-05-05 15:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Then again, there is 7 mg of mercury in a CFB. If you use incandescent bulbs instead, the coal burned over their lifetimes (figure 3 bulbs) is about 12 mg.

So I'll take the CFBs, thanks. Our whole house is lit with them.

Posted by Steve White 2009-05-05 15:39|| 2009-05-05 15:39|| Front Page Top

#6 For me, the issue was the pathetic lifespan of the incandescent bulbs. We decided to replace each as it died with a CFB, there are 12 in the apartment and it took less than a year.

Posted by Grunter 2009-05-05 17:25|| 2009-05-05 17:25|| Front Page Top

#7 After we decided to change over, and my wife said she would buy some CFB's next time she went shopping, the next light bulb died. So I took a CFB in it's box,and opened it up to have a look. The brand is " ob", very generic.I see a whole bunch of tightly packed, white tubes. They have changed the configuration, I thinks. Took it over to the bed and shook it out of the box. Out falls- 40 tampons.

Posted by Grunter 2009-05-05 17:35|| 2009-05-05 17:35|| Front Page Top

#8 Out here, with the power surges, incondescents last longer than CFBs.

And how much pollution goes into shipping those bad boys over to the us, transporting them out the middle of the country. And wouldn't be great if a country had a virtual monopoly on light bulbs and then decided to not sell them. If they are so great how come we don't build them here where pollution is better supervised, or is yellow expendable for green? Personally I don't see the payoff, but then again I'm not selling 'em.

Posted by swksvolFF 2009-05-05 19:07|| 2009-05-05 19:07|| Front Page Top

#9 Besides, if they were hands-down better then it wouldn't be mandated.

Posted by swksvolFF 2009-05-05 19:08|| 2009-05-05 19:08|| Front Page Top

#10 I know, how bout we make every vehicle which travels on a government road electric, then stand around and wonder why the grain trucks don't make it to market and the pumps on fire trucks ain't like they used to be. Let's think ahead a couple moves at least; that is fancy golf carts and CFBs might be good for your neighborhood but they won't be worth a shit out here.

Posted by swksvolFF 2009-05-05 19:11|| 2009-05-05 19:11|| Front Page Top

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