17 May '11 23:46>1 edit
http://www.liberty/juice.com/2011/05/17/get-ready-to-begin-paying-50-per-100-watt-light-bulbs/
Come January 2012, instead of paying about $1.83 for a packet of 4 100 watt light bulbs, the great citizens of the US, who are now shelling out ever more money for food and gas, will soon be shelling out about $50 for only one light bulb. That's right $50 per bulb!!
Two leading makers of lighting products are showcasing LED bulbs that are bright enough to replace energy guzzling 100 watt bulbs set to disappear from stores in January as soon as a governmental ban goes into effect for what we use now.
So all you cap and trade lovers will say, what about CFL bulbs? Can't you buy them and are they not affordable?
http://www.suite101.com/content/the-downside-to-compact-fluorescent-bulbs-a103105
CFL light bulbs do save energy and are affordable, but they also have problems associated with them. To begin with, they contain mercury. One of the biggest reasons to buy CFLs is that because they use so little energy, they reduce overall emissions of mercury into the air from power plant smoke stacks. However, as noted above, all fluorescent bulbs contain a tiny bit of mercury, which is highly toxic. A report by Yale University researchers in 2008 concluded that, depending on the state or country involved, the use of CFL's may actually increase total mercury released to the environment. The reason is that power plants use different fuel sources, which release different amount of mercury into the air. In some locations that use cleaner coal, or that have few recycling options, the mercury leaked into the environment from landfilled CFL's could actually surpass the amount saved by using less electricity from power plants.
To dispose of these light bulbs, they must either be recycled or taken to an approved disposal site but we all know that this will not happen every time. In fact, the poorer the regions the less likely this will occur. In addition, if one of these bulbs break, good luck cleaning up the toxic waste. If you decide to save a boat load of money and clean it up yourself, it is recommended that you open all your windows and "air out" the toxic waste. In addition, any materials that come into contact with the mercury is to be disposed of and sealed in a jar or double plastic bags. You are to avoid the use of vacuum cleaners or brooms which might stir the mercury into the air which is not a very good idea.
Lesser problems with CFL's is that they do not work on dimmer switches, unless buying more expensive CFL's to do the job, and even at that the transition is abrupt, not smooth. And lastly, good luck getting the CFL's to work outdoors. In cold weather they take a very long time to "warm up" and work properly. In fact, the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology did a study and said that houses with CFL's replacing incandescent bulbs will have an increase in energy costs for heating in winter.
All I can say is that I think forcing us to use ethanol in our gas is a better idea than this. I never thought I would ever be able to say that about government mandated ethanol use.
Come January 2012, instead of paying about $1.83 for a packet of 4 100 watt light bulbs, the great citizens of the US, who are now shelling out ever more money for food and gas, will soon be shelling out about $50 for only one light bulb. That's right $50 per bulb!!
Two leading makers of lighting products are showcasing LED bulbs that are bright enough to replace energy guzzling 100 watt bulbs set to disappear from stores in January as soon as a governmental ban goes into effect for what we use now.
So all you cap and trade lovers will say, what about CFL bulbs? Can't you buy them and are they not affordable?
http://www.suite101.com/content/the-downside-to-compact-fluorescent-bulbs-a103105
CFL light bulbs do save energy and are affordable, but they also have problems associated with them. To begin with, they contain mercury. One of the biggest reasons to buy CFLs is that because they use so little energy, they reduce overall emissions of mercury into the air from power plant smoke stacks. However, as noted above, all fluorescent bulbs contain a tiny bit of mercury, which is highly toxic. A report by Yale University researchers in 2008 concluded that, depending on the state or country involved, the use of CFL's may actually increase total mercury released to the environment. The reason is that power plants use different fuel sources, which release different amount of mercury into the air. In some locations that use cleaner coal, or that have few recycling options, the mercury leaked into the environment from landfilled CFL's could actually surpass the amount saved by using less electricity from power plants.
To dispose of these light bulbs, they must either be recycled or taken to an approved disposal site but we all know that this will not happen every time. In fact, the poorer the regions the less likely this will occur. In addition, if one of these bulbs break, good luck cleaning up the toxic waste. If you decide to save a boat load of money and clean it up yourself, it is recommended that you open all your windows and "air out" the toxic waste. In addition, any materials that come into contact with the mercury is to be disposed of and sealed in a jar or double plastic bags. You are to avoid the use of vacuum cleaners or brooms which might stir the mercury into the air which is not a very good idea.
Lesser problems with CFL's is that they do not work on dimmer switches, unless buying more expensive CFL's to do the job, and even at that the transition is abrupt, not smooth. And lastly, good luck getting the CFL's to work outdoors. In cold weather they take a very long time to "warm up" and work properly. In fact, the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology did a study and said that houses with CFL's replacing incandescent bulbs will have an increase in energy costs for heating in winter.
All I can say is that I think forcing us to use ethanol in our gas is a better idea than this. I never thought I would ever be able to say that about government mandated ethanol use.