I've been shutting off lights for years, have installed all CLF bulbs, and flip circuit switches on non-essential functions overnight and when gone for very long. HOWEVER, I must inform thatthe use of CLFs is a major problem for the growing number of people who suffer electro-magnetic sensitivity in our increasingly wired world. I happen to know two, and believe me, they suffer and are extremely limited in their activities.

Informtion about this can be found at the Swedish association for the Electircally Sensitive http://www.feb.se/index_int.htm

At the website of a "building biologist" who helps sensitives protect themselves:
http://www.createhealthyhomes.com/articles3.php

And a new report on this has just come out - http://www.bioinitiative.org/press_release/index.htm

PRESS RELEASE

BioInitiative Report:
A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard
for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF)

August 31, 2007 - Serious Public Health Concerns Raised Over Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) from Powerlines and Cell Phones. (pdf) (html)

An international working group of scientists, researchers and public health policy professionals (The BioInitiative Working Group) has released its report on electromagnetic fields (EMF) and health. They document serious scientific concerns about current limits regulating how much EMF is allowable from power lines, cell phones, and many other sources of EMF exposure in daily life.

The report concludes the existing standards for public safety are inadequate to protect public health.

What about dimmers? This is almost never mentioned in the march towards CFLs. Most CFLs won't work with dimmers!

So bottom line, incandescent bulbs with dimmers, or CFLs without, and why?

To address the misleading and misinformed statements made previously, CFL's and all flourescent lamps are available in full spectrum versions. While typically a bit more expensive they are much better for your eyes than even standard incandesant lamps and also address the seasonal affected disorder and many other concerns associated with flourescent lamps. There are even those that help prevent the accidental release of mercury if broken(i.e.:Bluemax). These higher quality CFL lamps have even been proven to increase visual accuity and have been shown to be better for reading than standard incandesant lamps. In fairness, the vast majority of flourescent lamps used in offices, warehouses, etc are of the much cheaper and widely used "cool white" variety. These are as bad as has been stated but many CFL lights today are of the "warm white" type.

Doing a bit of research on CFL's prior to purchase can help you decide the right type for the area they will be used in. The important things to look for are the color temperature rating (measured in Kelvin) and color rendition index (CRI). Natural sunlight has a varying color temperature between 5000-10,000K and a CRI of 100. Many full spectrum flourescent lamps have a color temperature of between 5000-6000K and CRI of at least 90. A standard incandesant has a color temp of 2700-3000K and CRI of 80-100 although quality incandesant bulbs typically have a CRI range from 90-100, a range considered to be excellent.

I made the switch to CFL lighting years ago in many of our lights. At the time my wife hated them but now has gotten used to them and we currently use them in every light fixture we can. Living in Florida they have not only decreased electrical usage of and by themselves but they also have an added benefit of producing far less heat and thereby have reduced the amount of time our A/C needs to run to keep the house cool. This has lowered our electrical usage and bill by far more than just the lights themselves.

For those concerned with the mercury release into ground water due to disposing in normal garbage into a landfill or into the air from breakage you can find a local Household Hazardous Waste recycling center for Mercury containing items in your area by going to www.earth911.org and input your zip code, call 1-800-CleanUp (253-2686), or call your local municipality.

The best way to save energy and reduce greenhouse gases is to shut off anything that uses electricity that you aren't currently using. In many cases, especially with electronic devices, it's best to unplug any that aren't in current use as they use power in standby mode and many use a transformer or "power adapter" that use power whenever they're plugged into a socket.

Why even talk about LED's. It is so far out of reach for 90% of us because of cost.

What are the top two(2) ways most people can contribute (rich or poor)to stop the warming of the earth?

When consumers dispose of CFL bulbs, they won't go into the air - but into landfills. What will the resulting build up of mercury do to ground water and the air?

Thanks for the info on CFL's. People had pointed that mercury out to me and I didn't have an answer.

I vistited the link about disposing of clf's and discovered it was only for people in the states. Us canadians wanna are aspiring environmentalists too, eh?

My husband did a calculation and now says that for even flourescent bulbs (the long ones), it is more energy efficient to turn them off and then on again when you return--even if you return very soon.

What I wonder about are all the empty parking lots with full lighting, all the high rises that glow all night long, all the stores whose windows are fully lighted.

I lean toward LED's since I've had a 25% failure rate with CFL's.

1 failure each within 3 months on Cosco's 75 watt and 100 watt floods.

200% failure on Lowes 100 watt floods.
1 was bad on initial use the other failed within 3 months.

LED's do not fail!!!

Ed

I am a stage lighting designer, and for stage use, I have recently made the switch to energy efficient LED lighting. The lights that I am using draw 10w@ as opposed to the 5oo/575w previously used to light the same area. These lights have infinite rgb color changing ability, self contained dimming, are simple to operate,& retail at under $75 each, (complete including hanging hardware). You can achieve the color temp. you crave. There is no reason why these lights need to be used exclusively for stage use.
For home use, I am happy to use CFLs. Look through the IKEA and Home Depot selections. I have found frosted, candelabra base , globe shaped, and warmer tints in CFL, all reasonably priced. My failure rate has been zero. We moved to our present home August 1, 2002, and went 100% CFL at that time. Here we are, 5 years, one month, 14 days later & still counting.
Check with your municipality for safe disposal when the time comes for replacement. To prolong the life of any light emitting source, handle the bulb through a clean cotton cloth ;skin oils can be murder on any lamp.

per an electrical engineer friend, LEDs *DO* fail also - again, turning things off is the best...

I am wondering about turning lights off and on when leaving a room. We have CFL bulbs in all rooms. Are we wasting energy turning them off and then back on in a few minutes. I remember as a child BC hydro stating it took more energy to turn on a light than it did to keep it on. I know times have changed, but I have never received a straight answer to this question.

LEDs are the most interesting solution for energy, of course. But LEDs are made from arsenic and gallium. We must have a recycling policy for both because they are poisonous and very expensive.
I am now using yellow LEDs bought in 1981 ! They give still 30 - 40 % of their initial light. And the new ones are better.

I expect to find a proper recycling procedure to dispose of the 5mg of mercury in the CFL'S so the savings in mercury are more than 70% on top of the number of incandescent light bulbs to match the life expectancy of CFL'S.

Read my lips!!! CFLs are terrible for your eyes. They are known as limited spectrum lighting - which means that they only emit two rays of the seven rays emitted by the sun. We need those seven rays shining in our eyes, which stimulates the pineal gland, which is responsible for energy creation in our bodies. Thats why those of us working in flourescent lit workplaces get so hooked on coffee not to mention that its a terrible light source to read by. Last but not least, those of us who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, need full spectrum lighting to counter the depressed mood that this affliction creates.

We can save a heck of a lot more money on our electrice bill, if we all CLOSE THE LIGHTS AFTER WE LEAVE A ROOM!!! Invariably when I visit a home (even homes of my environmentalist friends) lights are on in at least one room, that is not occupied. SOOOO, I am recommentding that we become "Lghts Off Wardens" and remind our hosts to SHUT THE LIGHTS when leaving a room. and enforce the rule with their children. City and county ordinances can be passed to prohibit commercial/industrial/retail facilites from leaving their lights on after hours.

Has any statisical agency any estimates on the energy saving potential of these simple low tech strategies?

Josh K.

Just returned from an extensive visit to China. They have many challenges before they've come to terms with cutting greenhouse gases but conversion of CFLs is no longer on their list. Of the hundreds of thousands of light bulbs we saw, less than a handful that were incandescent. All others were CFLs. The Chinese put us to shame in this important energy savings way.

So how do we dispose of the bulbs? I have changed all of my house bulbs as well as the outside spotlights. I didn't realize the issue with the mercury. Please advise.

Is mercury in CFLs very poisonous? Because I accidentally broke one on my working table ...

I am trying to help my company go greener which they have actually been very supportive of. One of the things I am unclear about, is paper. I am struggling between recyled paper and non recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. At first glance I assumed recycled was the way to go. The problem is you don't know the original source. What happened to get the wood, how do they treat it, where does the waste go, etc. FSC certified addresses those issues, but uses virgin pulp. Can anyone help clarify this somewhat confusing issue?

what about the disposal risks and mercury content factors for LED's --- how much vs. CFL's vs. incandescent?????

I see what u don't see.. much farther away. I've got the eyes and visions of my Father.

In a test I read a couple of years ago. A US town was given several CFL's per household to use in lighting they used frequently. At the end of the study, the amount of energy used increased! This was in part due to people feeling they were saving money so they could leave lights on. Just like buying a more fuel efficient car. You don't drive less, you would tend to drive more because you think you could afford it.
I personally find several things wrong with CFL's. One is correct lighting, Two is poor initial light (takes a while for CFL's to heat up) three cheaper ones create interference with wireless devices. Four
we have yet to address concerns over disposal of these bulbs into our landfills.