Government-subsidized green light bulb carries costly price tag

wapo ^ | March 8, 2012 | Peter Whoriskey

[george76]

The U.S. government last year announced a $10 million award, dubbed the “L Prize,” for any manufacturer that could create a “green” but affordable light bulb.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu said ...

Now the winning bulb is on the market.

The price is $50.

[FamiliarFace]

I don’t use CFLs so I don’t know the answer. Do they really say to dispose of a broken mercury-filled bulb in a glass jar or a ziploc plastic bag, and to put it in the regular trash? That makes no sense. I can easily see the glass jar being broken on the way to the landfill, and the plastic baggie being torn open with other shards of glass, not to mention many other items thrown away. Voila...the mercury is dispersed! What a great idea the CFLs were! (sarc)

[wbill]

The light LED bulbs put out is really nice, and they can be used with dimmers.

How do they compare with incandescents, for light quality? Brighter? Dimmer?

I've been waiting for LED's to hit a pricepoint that's affordable. Basically, I hoarded enough incandescents to get me through a few years until I can go to LED's. They just make sense, low power and last forever.

After buying a new house and finding that ALL (not a couple, but ALL) of the CFL's the former owners used were badly scorched, there's no way I'll purchase one of those.

And, as an aside - I've not had any trouble finding 100W bulbs. Everyplace still seems to be carrying them. What if Congress passed a law, and no one paid any attention. :-)

[Beagle8U]

“If your state or local environmental regulatory agency permits you to put used or broken CFLs in the regular household trash, seal the bulb in a plastic bag and put it into the outside trash for the next normal trash collection.”

http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflrecycling.html

That is from the EPA. There are only a few states that require disposal to other that the normal trash bin.

[Jagermonster]

Home Depot has a drop off.

[Beagle8U]

Home Depot is 25 miles away from me, the trash can is much closer.

[VanShuyten]

I bought some 40W (equiv) LED bulbs from Sam’s Club a couple of years ago. They worked well at first, but then after only about a month grew so dim that I had to replace them. Perhaps the newer ones are better, but I’m going to wait before buying any more.

[Jagermonster]

I won’t tell if you won’t.

[Beagle8U]

The point is...in most states there is no law against tossing them in the trash.

I never go to anywhere that has a collection center, I’m not going to drive 50 miles ( round trip) to do that.

[Covenantor]

How are the minorities, who can’t afford to buy a driver?s license so they can vote, going to be able to light their houses?

You really haven’t figured out how the world works, have you? The answer is simple. The government announced plans to introduce its new “Aid to those Without Family Lighting” program which will increase YOUR taxes to give THEM free light bulbs. The new program will be “AWFL” for short.
________________________________________________________

Already happened in Montgomery County, Maryland early last fall. BTW as one of the bedroom suburbs of Wash DC it is one of the wealthiest in the USA.

A young coed knocked at the door identifying herself as an Obama volunteer of some sort pressed an eight pack of GE 60 watt equivalent CFL bulbs into my hands along with a flyer. Tried to engage her in conversation about whatever program she was pushing but she could only say that she was called out that week. She did admit to being paid for her “volunteer” efforts.

;>)