Green Options » bulb

Never Mind the New York Times - Buy a Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb

Tina Casey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:50:54 +0000

An article in the March 28 New York Times contained some pretty unflattering remarks about compact fluorescent light bulbs. Since the bulbs were never given a chance to speak in their own defense, I guess it’s up to us fluorescent bulb-huggers to speak for them. So, here goes.

GE Launches Incandescent-Shaped CFL Bulb

Ariel Schwartz — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:15:38 +0000

Do you like the environmental friendliness of CFL bulbs but also enjoy the shape of incandescent bulbs? GE has a solution — the world’s first incandescent-shaped CFL bulb. The 8,000-hour CFL is guaranteed for 5 years based on 4 hours of daily use.

New Lighting Technology Offers Alternative To CFLs and LEDs

Ariel Schwartz — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:42:13 +0000

Residential Lighting reports that a new energy-efficient lighting technology, dubbed ESL (electron-stimulated luminescence) was patented in June by a startup company called Vu1.

The technology works by using accelerated electrons to stimulate a phosphor coating on the inside of the glass bulb. In contrast, incandescent bulbs run a current through a filament inside the bulbs, and LEDs stimulate semiconductors to create light.

The first ESL prototype is expected to output 40 lumens per watt with a 6,000 hour lifetime.

So why is the ESL bulb any better than CFLs or LEDs?

Environmental Defense Fund: Easy Recycling of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

edfblog — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:20:56 +0000

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 75 percent less electricity than incandescent light bulbs for the same amount of light. (For why, see Bill’s post “Why Switch to Compact Fluorescents“.) But some people fear CFLs because of the tiny amount of mercury they contain. The risk from a broken CFL is extremely small, but CFLs should be disposed of properly so landfills aren’t polluted. Sealing used bulbs in plastic bags before placing them in the trash can slow the release of mercury if the bulb breaks. But recycling is ideal.

The problem, until now, has been that recycling CFLs was inconvenient for post people. That’s about to change, thanks to Home Depot. The New York Times reported this week that Home Depot will offer CFL recycling at all of its nearly 2000 U.S. stores. That puts 75 percent of Americans within 10 miles of a CFL recycling location.

If you’re not part of that 75 percent, you still have options. Ikea stores provide CFL recycling bins, as well. Or visit Earth 911 or Lamp Recycle to look for a recycling location near you.

Need help choosing the right CFL? Visit our online guide, “How to Pick a Better Bulb“.

Tip o’ the Day: A Bright Idea

Rebecca Carter — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:43:15 +0000

Have you heard this one before? "A light bulb walks into a bar…" Wait, that's not right. Let's try it again, "What's bright and light and white all over?" Okay, we're not the best joke tellers in the world, but we do know the punchline: CFL.

Switching over to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) is one of those solutions that is so simple and so effective, we all just need to do it. Says EnergyStar.gov, if we all change just one incandescent bulb to a CFL, "we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars."

Sometimes there is a solution so simple, that we've just got to do it. Yes, CFL bulbs cost a little more, but they also last much longer and use a quarter of the energy. This means that you will save money on your electricity bill - around $30/year per bulb.

If you haven't made the switch yet, use today as your opportunity to do so. Some hints:

Since CFLs last so long, they are great for hard to reach places. Imagine not having to change the bulb for 5 years!
CFLs don't generate heat like incandescents do, so they won't make you cool the room any more than is absolutely necessary.
CFLs do take a minute to warm up, so they are not as useful in closets or areas that a light is usually on for just a few seconds.
You'll receive the biggest impact on your energy bill by replacing the lights you use the most often and for the longest period of time.

Rebecca says: I never wanted to switch because I remembered the CFLs from years ago in my grandparent's house. It felt like a fluorescent bulb with a very cold tone to the color of the light. Now, it is almost impossible to tell the difference. Plus, when else can you have the light on and think, "I'm saving energy right now?"

CFL Resources:

EnergyStar.gov

Wikipedia: CFL