Posted on 01/02/2007 8:57:15 AM PST by mathprof
As a way to cut energy use, it could not be simpler. Unscrew a light bulb that uses a lot of electricity and replace it with one that uses much less.
While it sounds like a promising idea, it turns out that the long-lasting, swirl-shaped light bulbs known as compact fluorescent lamps are to the nation’s energy problem what vegetables are to its obesity epidemic: a near perfect answer, if only Americans could be persuaded to swallow them.
But now Wal-Mart Stores, the giant discount retailer, is determined to push them into at least 100 million homes. And its ambitions extend even further, spurred by a sweeping commitment from its chief executive, H. Lee Scott Jr., to reduce energy use across the country, a move that could also improve Wal-Mart’s appeal to the more affluent consumers the chain must win over to keep growing in the United States.
“The environment,” Mr. Scott said, “is begging for the Wal-Mart business model.”
It is the environmental movement’s dream: America’s biggest company, legendary for its salesmanship and influence with suppliers, encouraging 200 million shoppers to save energy.
For all its power in retailing, though, Wal-Mart is meeting plenty of resistance — from light-bulb makers, competitors and consumers....
A compact fluorescent has clear advantages over the widely used incandescent light — it uses 75 percent less electricity, lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. But it is eight times as expensive as a traditional bulb, gives off a harsher light and has a peculiar appearance.
As a result, the bulbs have languished on store shelves for a quarter century; only 6 percent of households use the bulbs today.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I suppose they'll last forever if I don't use them at all!........
LED light definately is not the same.... blue tinted, not as bright, more diffused... I don't think I'd like them for anything other than accent lighting.
Used to be true, but they have some now that are almost indistinguishable from incandescent.
Especially not in a garage during the winter months.
They work well inside, for the most part.
I have two in particular that basically burn 24x7...one in my basement and one over the stove in my kitchen.
Especially if you save the receipt.........
I love the energy savings of these bulbs, but I hate the light that they give and the way they look in my light fixtures. We have some in our house, but I limit the locations where we use them.
We've a few floods like that, but most are instant-on (and some are faster than the old half-second delays...).
I buy them 6 for $10 and use them in places where its a hassle to change light bulbs, or where they might be used for extended periods of time (outdoor lights, tall ceiling lights, etc). The newer compact flourescent lights have very good color, and come up to power very quickly.
Down here they save power in two ways. One, they use less power when they are on, and two, because of that, they create less heat, which costs money to REMOVE via air conditioning. Less heat load in the house.
The last few 60 watt bulbs I bought didn't last at all. Some were from Walmart and some were from Home Depot. I'm talking just a week or two and poof! they were shot!
It's nice to have choices. What a great country! Let's keep it that way.
I love the florescents, because I don't have to change them nearly as often - once a year or less. In contrast, I made the mistake of putting in some halogens because the fixtures were prettier, and those have to be replaced every few months. Unfortunately, the problem bulbs are hard to get to and require a ladder. I'm thinking of replacing the fixtures rather than the lightbulbs, next time.
I've discovered thay do not last any longer than regular bulbs in ceiling fans......
The crappy light they give I wouldn't use them if they were free and didn't use electricity.
The warm-up period wouldn't bother me so much if they didn't make an odd buzzing while doing it...drives me up the wall, so I generally walk out of room after turning them on so I don't have to hear it!
Other than that, they seem to work well. I have GE ones, and I wouldn't say they're worse for color than most other indoor lighting.
Maybe you're only supposed to use them during Daylight Savings Time.........
Is there any that can go into recessed lightinig throughout the house that doesn't look "alien" our new house has 22 ft. ceilings and I'd love to put a good, energy efficient,long lasting buld in them at any price. also the bedroom lights have domes on them that are transparent, will the bulbs fit in them nicely?
And yet for some reason, the cheap halogen lamp my wife bought in 1994 is still burning in our den---on it's original bulb.
Several weeks ago, Fox&Friends had a demonstration of these kinds of bulbs for comparison.
A single CF bulb, once turned on, used only a slight amount of electricity (based on the rotation of the electric meter), whereas a regular bulb showed significant rotation. The difference was very noticeable.
Multiply that times several-to-many lights being on at the time same, and the total electrical consumption adds up significantly for regular bulbs compared to the CF bulbs.
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