CFLs- A Brilliant Idea

By now just about everyone knows about the new swirly looking CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) and just how big an advancement they are in energy conservation. What people don’t know is that they need to be recycled properly to maximize the benefit they provide to the environment. The main reason for this is that there is a small amount of mercury in the bulb that needs to be disposed of properly so it doesn’t end up back in our water table or on our dinner table in the form of a fish. Don’t let this scare you off from using CFLs though. Even when they aren’t recycled properly they still let less mercury into the environment than a standard old school incandescent, and much less greenhouse gases when you consider the electricity savings. Ironically most electricity is produced from coal burning factories which happen to be where most of the mercury pollution currently comes from. If you want to double-do your part by using and recycling CFLs just drop them off at your local Home depot where they will recycle the expired CFL bulbs for free. If you don’t live near one of those stores just check these links from the EPA and energystar more info.

EPA CFL recylcing page
EnergyStar FAQ about CFLs

According to this Energystar Webpage a CFL light bulb uses approximately 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb, and produces 75% less heat which makes them safer. Additionally the CFLs can last up to 10 times longer than incandescents. Overall it is estimated that you will save at least 30 dollars in electricity costs per bulb. The CFLs do cost a little more initially but if you shop places like Costco you’ll find them very cheap compared to your typical hardware or superstores.

Something to be aware of before you outfit your entire house with CFLs is the different color variations. Some CFLs appear to be yellowish in color while others emit a whiter brighter and more natural color, which I personally prefer. This webpage gives more detail about that and which specs to look for according to your needs.

I encountered another quirk when I bought some CFLs for recessed lighting in our kitchen, which was basically a small CFL bulb inside a larger dome bulb to fit the recessed light area. I thought this was a genius idea when I bought them until they all burned out a few months later. These lights normally last for years so I figured it had to be because of the bulb inside a bulb inside of a recessed area built up too much heat and caused the burnout. Recently I’ve found out that you need specific types of CFLs to handle dimmer switches which our kitchen lights are on, so this could’ve been a problem. Since then I’ve replaced them with regular CFL bulbs and haven’t had any problems. Most people don’t look up at the ceiling to see what a bright glowing light bulb looks like so the cosmetic difference is really nil.

Just one other thing I wanted to mention about lights is how awesome outdoor solar lights are. We bought some to put around our front yard to light up the area and deter break-ins. Even in Oregon we get enough light to charge them up every day. They turn on automatically at night and really do an outstanding job of lighting up the yard at no additional energy cost. If you haven’t switched over CFLs and solar yet it’s time to wake up and smell the pollution!