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 use some, but the fact is, most people aren't going to pay $8 for a light bulb even if it lasted forever and never used a sip of energy.
LED the way to go..
We've been using them for while and I just want to refute a few people's comments.
1) Warm up time varies from manufacturer and ambient temp (yes, they do suck in the cold) however I've noticed it's getting better with newer bulbs.
2)size - the inverters are getting smaller - I've found newer bulbs with smaller base (inverter) that doesn't hit the lampshade/brackets
3) Color Temp "wierd light" - Just the other day I purchased a full spectrum CFB and it really is a more whitish light than any previous I've owned, it's bright and clean (of course, it seems to take longer to warm up for some reason)
4) Price - they've come down a bit from that $8 everyone keeps quoting. You need to get out more :-)
There are pros and cons to everything but spreading outdated information doesn't do anyone any good.
On a recent Mythbusters episode they tested the myth of saving energy by leaving the light on versus turning it off then on again.
What they found was that the surge produced when turning a light back on only lasted about .3 of a second. In other words you use more power leaving the light on.
Actually, the savings in the first month alone pay for CF bulbs. Your wallet will thank you almost immediately. I was trying everything I could to conserve some energy around my apartment so that I could save some cash and getting these bulbs slashed my electric bill by 30 bucks in the first month. 10 more the second, an additional 10 the next month and 20 dollars the month after that. I only have three lights that don't use them and it's more laziness than anything else that I haven't replaced those.
And 8 dollars? Go to Sams where they'll sell you 8-10 of them for 12 dollars total. Hell, Home Depot sells them for similar amounts.
Actually, many of the newer ones have a decent color. I have one in my kitchen and it looks good.
I'm waiting for LED bulbs to become feasible, as well.
We limited our usage of CFs until we found some that (as I already noted) are virtually indistinguishable from incandescent. Almost all our lights are now CF, except those in fixures designed to show the filament (front entry, etc).
Currently I only have them in my bathroom fixture. I had purchased a package of 3, one blew out within the first week........but the other 2 are just fine, and give me more than enough light. I turn the bathroom light on as soon as it starts getting dark and it stays on until the morning. These bulbs have been in since September, so they've already paid for themselves.
I agree to a point, they aren't needed in the concentrations we have them in some areas.
Other areas are too poorly-lit.
we do the same, use them where the color these bulbs throw off doesn't matter. That lighting over a period of time makes me almost physically sick.
On the other hand, if you got up and went to bed with the chickens, you wouldn't need light bulbs at all. Think of the savings!
Get some good ones. Mine take about 10 seconds to warm up and no one can tell the difference from the old incandescents. And they were only a couple bucks each.
Outstanding, informative educational thread. Thanks for posting.
They don't last in the harsh environment of my study/library. When they get a little weak they also flicker, which is really harsh on those trying to read a lot.
But...I don't have chickens.
What to do??
Here's an idea, which has worked well for me. Just buy what you need for the 3 or 4 lights that get the most usage. That's what I did and the effect on my electricity bill has been amazing.
by reading most of these posts it seems your just taking the money you save on energy costs (which i haven't seen mentioned much) to buying expensive light bulbs. so where's the price savings? if CF bulbs cost the same as ordinary bulbs and then i'm lowering my energy costs, then i could see the benefit.
Are these the ones that look like corkscrews?
Off topic...
MAJOR wind gust just now in Auburn. What's it like up where you are?
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