Change your light bulbs
PLEDGE: Change your light bulbs
Changing our light bulbs to compact fluoro bulbs is an easy, cheap and very effective change. By burning fossil fuels for energy, we're altering our atmosphere and causing climate change. To reverse it, we'll need to stop burning so much coal, oil and gas. Renewable energy like wind and solar power is part of the answer, but the fastest (and most cost effective) way to reduce your global warming pollution is simply use less energy... and many hands make light work!
You can make substantial change by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs and turning off the light when you leave the room is priceless.
Energy efficient light bulbs use about one-fifth less energy and they last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.
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I did it today :)
I have changed the light bulbs in the past but today i bought 3 new energy-efficient light bulbs for my flatmates as an gift ;-)
eco bulbs and mercury- do we have a choice?
Just wondering if there are any 'eco' bulbs that do not contain mercury? I'm concerned that these bulbs have the potential to affect our health (when accidentally smashed the mercury vapour is released), and that there will be large numbers ending up in landfill. They also flicker at a high frequency which is not so good for some people. Are halogens an acceptable alternative?
Philips have a range of low
Philips have a range of low mercury CFLs. They use about 75% less than an ordinary one.
separation
well i am quite new in NZ and not sure how does it work here. in EU we separate electronic waste (there is very small fee/tax included to each electronic device u buy). you simply take the old energy efficient light bulb and bring it to any shop where they sell them.
But will be interesting know if there is any mercury free option. Some time ago i read about LED light bulbs but do not know if they already sell a proper ones...
LED light bulb
BTW some information about LED lamp technology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_lamp
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9399209
http://www.earthtechproducts.com/led-campaign-.html
One 2 Watt LED light bulb give the same amount of light as an classical 60W light bulb.
And good ind inspirational news from Ireland:
Dublin, Ireland — The Irish Government, announced today what will be in effect the EU's first ban on energy-wasting incandescent lightbulbs. This simple but historic step comes as governments meet in Bali to discuss next steps on tackling the global climate emergency.
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/ireland-bans-bulb071206
LED install
Have you installed a LED light polko?
That they may be bug free is a subject of hot debate at this moment. Bug free = insect friendly
My 30 diode blue LED light has not so far been observed to attract insects but commercial frequency shifted white or yellowish LEDs may or may not attract bugs - it seems from some research that different insects may be sensitive to different frequency. Insect friendly should be a design criterion for LED outdoor lighting.
Noel
Not yet. Found info about
Not yet. Found info about them just few months ago and need to search if and where can i buy them in NZ. The price is still quite high but it is worth to test it ;-)
So i will definitely buy one maybe for X-mass :)
Insect friendly
I should add most non-LED lighting is not insect friendly and can't be made so. Why should that bother anyone? It bothers wildlife considerably. It ought to bother anyone, who does not want their lights attracting clouds of insects, specially with the camping season coming up, and hot nights trying to get cooler out on the patio.
After a third evening's observation my LED light still has not scored any insect attention.
Noel
Light colour
My blue LED light was eventually observed to attract for a moment some very small moths that did not stay. The CFL turned on a short while later attracted just about everything, and they stayed. My supposition is that blue LEDs will attract some insects but in no way near the numbers that other lights do.
However, on light colour I have something to say. You may have noticed if you have looked at LEDs that white LEDs are twice the price of yellow LEDs to name the most popular lighting colours. Much the same is true of a comparison of Metal halide (white) and sodium (yellow) lights. People say they feel safer with the white lights claiming they can see better. We see the metal halide lights in car parks and outside shops for instance. The shorter wavelengths seem to give better definition and more reassuringly give more colours. They also give more scatter. For the lighting supplier they represent a considerable increase in profit so they will tend to be recommended.
To continue the comparison, the typical sodium street lights actually give twice the illumination for the same power consumption, last twice as long and provide only half the sky glow by reflection - yellow light does not scatter into the sky nearly as much as the short wavelengths in the white lights. The white lights cut off melatonin production, and blind people with glare, particularly the elderly who are less able to adjust to changes and sometimes cannot stand them at all.
I'm all in favour of LED substitution for all outdoor lighting, with full sky cut-off and elimination of horizontal light intrusion where it should not go, but I note the emphasis is on white light. I question this given the advantages that accrue with yellow light and wonder if the complaints about the expense of LED substitution may become rather less if authorities insisted on yellow light where white is not essential.
My prize for abominable lighting currently goes to the four white lights illuminating the carpark outside the main entrance to Middlemore hospital in Manukau city. The deep transparent covers disperse the light into the sky like they are globes and also invade the hospital wards like they are beamed in. I was shocked at their intrusion while a patient there after a minor op last year.
Noel
Mercury from fluoro bulbs ending up in landfills
In Lower Hutt, several supermarkets, and the City Council I think, have collection bins for used compact fluorescent bulbs so that they can be recycled rather than end up as toxic waste in a landfill. Maybe other areas are setting up collection points too?
Lisia
My blog:
http://lilsview.blogspot.com/
Mercury in CFLs
Hi Hels,
The amounts of mercury in Energy Saving Lightbulbs is minimal and does not pose a threat to users. Even if one were accidentally smashed (highly unlikely) the amount of mercury should not pose a health threat. Just make sure you clean the mess up carefully.
Energy Saving Trust says:
"Energy saving bulbs contain only tiny traces of mercury - imagine a pellet smaller than the tip of a biro. What's more, in the long term, CFL technology will actually help less mercury to pollute the air.
This is because burning fossil fuels like coal is the biggest source of mercury in the air. And as energy saving bulbs use 80% less electricity than a traditional bulb, they mean far less mercury overall.
Remember to always recycle your used bulbs, for example at your local authority's recycling centre."
Whilst energy production is less polluting in NZ the principal remains. CFLs can be recycled in HazChem pickups - check local council policies (Auckland). Here are some links to more info:
Treehugger (nice recycling diagram)
Ikea (recycling CFLs
CommonCraft (cute video)
BBC (banishing the myths)
I hope this is helpful.
Racheblue
Artist, Designer & Writer
Striving for Sustainability & Ethics in Art, Design & Lifestyle
http://bluAngeldesigns.com
http://bluangeldesigns.com/almanac/bluangelalmanac.html
http://ecomonkey.blogspot.com/
minimising mercury effects
If you do smash a low energy bulb clean up with a dustpan and brush or cloth and not the vacuum cleaner. It is remotely possible for mercury sucked up by the hose to be aerosolised and come straight out of the air vents and breathing mercury is not a good idea.
We switched over a year ago
We replaced all the lightbulbs with energy efficient ones, and were feeling quite pleased with ourselves. I wouldn't go back to standard bulbs again, however we recently had a real estate agent through the house to give us an appraisal. I was asking about an estimation of value after we have made some home improvements. One of the first things he said, to get our property ready for the market, was to switch out all the bulbs for 'normal' ones. It is a sad thing that having eco friendly lightbulbs throughout the house could devalue it
to value or devalue....
"It is a sad thing that having eco friendly lightbulbs throughout the house could devalue it"
Beliefs obey Newton's first law of motion. They tend to carry on in the same direction until hit on the head by some other force! I still meet people who believe that these bulbs must behave in the same flickery way that the first fluorescents did or that the present lights have the same very limited frequency range. Even without any whyfores there are people who feel uncomfortable and imagine evil about any change.
But "the times they are a changin"
More and more people may regard the changes we make as adding value.
Have you noticed though that the claims made about wattage equivalence seem over optimistic? I set out to replace a pair of 75w wall lights. I left one tungsten light in place and tried the supposed 15w equivalent on the other. It was obviously not equivalent. A 20 w spiral bulb matched exactly.
In the kitchen a 150w tungsten bulb gave the amount of light everyone approved of. Only one CFL came close to satisfactory, a rare 30w that was then condemmed as too bright (point source bright). I then put in an 18w fluorescent tube which gave far more light, and more even light, than the tungsten bulb. So it flicks a couple of times before staying on, cost more and was more trouble to install! I went straight out and similarly endowed a small work bench. My big workbench in the basement has always had a 60 watt fluorescent.
Noel
Ireland bans the bulb
The Irish government announced today that, as part of its national Carbon budget, the old-style power hungry bulbs will be banned from 2009.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S00420.htm
light phaseout
I note the EU mooted a two year phaseout in March this year and Australia a three year period. The Greenpeace press release refers to UK leaving it to Lighting suppliers to voluntarily phase out tungsten lights but I've seen evidence to support the view that most would see that as diminishing their income and therefore not to be considered. I can almost hear them saying that they cater to the free choice of the citizens.
So will the NZ government put in place measures to reduce lighting bills including this kind of ban? Only if they see votes in it at this time I fear.
The government should give
The government should give incentives to companies who sell more CFL's and to consumers who switch, I like the way Australia is heading with CFL's, I think to really push the subject Green Peace and other agencies should should local county/town governments to start how much energy they would save by have their community all switch to CFL's then go from there to state and national levels from there. My home has always had CFL's from the time i could remember and we save a bunch 2 years ago we remodeled a bit and since my uncle is in construction we got the work done free so we bought double glazed windows and we see savings every summer/winter when we are cooling and heating the home by not losing as much air.
USA to ban the incandecent ligh bulb
If they can do it surely we can do it ...
http://wapurl.co.uk/?6ZRIM9I