Welcome to Canadagirl 's Tightwad Tuesday. To join us please click on her highlighted blog name.
In our home, we are taking the Environmental Protection Agency's advice on how to Go Green by replacing our traditional light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs. We are told by the EPA that to do this saves around $30.00 in energy costs per bulb's lifetime and that CFL bulbs generate 70% less heat which makes them safer to operate than traditonal bulbs.
Okay, so now I learn that CFL bulbs contain small amounts of mercury. Did you know that? Dropping a CFL bulb can release toxic amounts of mercury into your home. Disgarding it in the trash, which eventually finds its way to a landfill can also release toxic mercury fumes into our environment. So now, how am I helping our world Go Green?
According to "All Things Considered", February 15th, 2008, on NPR, our government is now working on a solution as to how we can safely disgard CFL bulbs after they have burned out. Currently there are not enough collection sights available to take them, and curb side recycling businesses will not take them. The EPA is working with large stores, such as WalMart to create recyling sights for these energy saving bulbs.
My biggest worry is what do we do when a CFL bulb breaks in our home? The toxic mercury fumes are most harmful to small children and pets. Mankind takes two steps forward and one step back in a effort to Go Green and save money.
I know ...I actually read a case where a small child died caused by an incident with one of these lightblubs. :(
I just don't get how those most pushing the "Green" movement can encourage these with such a huge flaw inside. If they did this in the medical community or in automobile manufacturing- no one would accept this. How can toxins be helping the environment and also the possibilities of what could happen to our children and pets- it is almost an insult I think. They say we are to use these yet don't have all the kinks ironed out yet. It could be quite detramental.
Thanks for making more of us aware!
SchoolinRHome
I had one of those bulbs break on me a few years back. I didn't know about the mercury at that time. Evidently, the Lord protected us because we are all still alive. :-) You should have seen my panic-stricken face when I first read about the mercury though!
Thanks for the info on the bulbs. I had planned to start replacing our bulbs when they burned out with these bulbs, but now I think I will wait until they are improved upon.
Blessings,
Pam
My dh is/was a HUGE "twisty bulb" fan and drove me nuts with wanting to replace all of our bulbs - frankly, I hate them - they take too long for me to warm up and aren't as bright. Anyways, then we saw something on tv recently about the mercury thing which I too would think would be an even worse environmental problem (that's government progress for you) and now my dh isn't the big fan he use to be - ahhhh - he sees the light (pun intended). Maybe I should just go to burning oil lamps.
ps- On the the tv show, a lady shared how they had dropped a bulb and it cost her $2,000 for the clean-up with all the environmental guys in white suits at her house - rediculous! I fear now that our cat or my 2 yr. old nephew might knock over our floor lamp and than what?
We had a few of those but we got rid of them after we learned about the mercury. Until they find a better solution, I would rather protect PC and LO from the mercury!!!
Yep. That's a problem. Pretty soon we won't even be able to buy the old energy wasters. Then we will have to go by candles, I suppose. Truly, this is a nightmare waiting to happen! I am replacing the 3 bulbs I have right away.
Jenn
Ugh I hate these bulbs, my DH has replaced every bulb in the house with them and has broken 2 so far. But he says, it's the outside that breaks, not the part where the filaments are.. :P At least 3 have gone dead in the 4 months since we've lived here, they are supposed to last longer?
good tip! we need to protect ourselves from stuff that kills us LOL.
We have these, but I am extremely unhappy about the mercury and equally displeased at how short a time they last. The packaging clearly states they should last about 7 years, but we are lucky to get a year out of ours.
I think it was Rosina (BChsMomof3) that posted instructions on her blog a while back how to properly clean up one if it breaks.
How scary! Thanks for posting this. I wasn't aware of the mercury content. We just started using these bulbs this year, so we haven't had to dispose of one yet. Thankfully, we've never had one to break either.
I am not a home educator, but am very proud of my daughter, jenn4him, who homeschools my three precious grandchildren. I admire you all. Thank you for being my source of inspiration.
May God Bless You,
Mama Karen
