Republicans and Lightbulbs

Andrew Ryan said:

Small potatoes.

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buying and changing light bulbs are not my problems, that's what the servants are paid to do.

TheManeki said:

The funny part is, if Americans had acted in enlightened self interest and on their own purchased the more energy efficient (and cost efficient) bulbs, legislation banning incandescent bulbs would be unnecessary. Unfortunately, all too often people are not the rational actors required for the invisible hand to work its magic.

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Because most people don't see beyond the price tag. Had I not known that the energy efficient bulbs last me ten times longer than incandescent, I'd be reluctant seeing the two price stickers side by side. When an incandescent bulb is $1.29 apiece and CFLs are close to $4 apiece you tend to suffer from sticker shock and automatically go for the immediately less expensive option.

KatAutumn said:

Because most people don't see beyond the price tag. Had I not known that the energy efficient bulbs last me ten times longer than incandescent, I'd be reluctant seeing the two price stickers side by side. When an incandescent bulb is $1.29 apiece and CFLs are close to $4 apiece you tend to suffer from sticker shock and automatically go for the immediately less expensive option.

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you don't mind the CFL light color? it reminds me of junkyards at midnight.

MacNeil said:

you don't mind the CFL light color? it reminds me of junkyards at midnight.

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I use frosted globes for overhead lights and fabric lampshades on my lamps, so I don't notice too much of a difference. The only time I notice the lighting being harsher than with incandescents is in the few overhead fixtures in my house that don't have any covers.

KatAutumn said:

I use frosted globes for overhead lights and fabric lampshades on my lamps, so I don't notice too much of a difference. The only time I notice the lighting being harsher than with incandescents is in the few overhead fixtures in my house that don't have any covers.

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thanks.. didn't know you could warm them up like that.

MacNeil said:

thanks.. didn't know you could warm them up like that.

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You're welcome. Another thing to consider, although some are more expensive, is they make softer light CFLs. CFLs have really come a long way, and most have a much lower mercury content than the original ones did. While I'm not into the government telling me what lightbulbs I can or cannot use, I've used CFLs for years, simply because of how long they last. My grandmother, on the other hand, has been hoarding incandescents since she first got wind they may no longer sell them. She has nearly an entire closet full.

Andrew Ryan said:

Really? With all that is going wrong with America, you're concerns are on lightbulbs? I say, out with the old and in with the new, if it's more efficient and cost effective, then why would you be against that? Why? This is retarded.

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I do not know if it has been mentioned in the thread or if it was mentioned in the article but...

do you know that there are guidelines for what happens if you break a Compact fluorescent light bulb?

If one breaks and you have children, remove them from the room, it's not safe for them. The entire clean up process is around an hour. Do you have proper gloves to wear when you start the clean up? You'd better. And apparently you can't just dispose of the broken bulb in your kitchen trash can. It's really messed up.

These light bulbs might save you money but they don't clean up the environment, they add to its worsening. You can't say the same for the old fashioned incandescent bulbs. And what's the worst that can happen if you break one of those? Maybe you cut your finger if you mishandle the glass. Who hasn't done that? At least you don't have to worry about the health of your children if one breaks.

The government should NOT be making us LESS safe. These bulbs are LESS safe. Go figure.

KatAutumn said:

You're welcome. Another thing to consider, although some are more expensive, is they make softer light CFLs. CFLs have really come a long way, and most have a much lower mercury content than the original ones did. While I'm not into the government telling me what lightbulbs I can or cannot use, I've used CFLs for years, simply because of how long they last. My grandmother, on the other hand, has been hoarding incandescents since she first got wind they may no longer sell them. She has nearly an entire closet full.

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not to go all Little House on the Prairie, but if I could light my office with oil lamps -- the hurricane style lamp with a reflector -- I'd be happy. not kerosene, which reeks, but the ultra pure oil. that glow is easy on the eyes.

I love hurricane lamps. If I didn't have an eight-year old son, three Great Danes and a husband with two left feet I'd use them almost exclusively LOL.

KatAutumn said:

Because most people don't see beyond the price tag. Had I not known that the energy efficient bulbs last me ten times longer than incandescent, I'd be reluctant seeing the two price stickers side by side. When an incandescent bulb is $1.29 apiece and CFLs are close to $4 apiece you tend to suffer from sticker shock and automatically go for the immediately less expensive option.

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Check Home Depot. I saw a 4 pack of cfls there for $8.

MacNeil said:

you don't mind the CFL light color? it reminds me of junkyards at midnight.

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Cfls tend to come in 3 colors now: cool white (it sounds like you're thinking of these), soft white, and warm white. You should check out the latter 2.

citizenthom said:

The bill would in fact repeal previous legislation, passed by the Democratic Congress. Republicans didn't start this crazy train; they're just trying to stop it.

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I elect my senators to look for the best solutions for society. We don't have a freedom to buy/use whatever we want. My government should consider all the facts and then make decisions based on those facts. I'm no tree-hugger, but even I won't change to the smarter choice just because it's smart. Remember the Sacagawea dollar? Do you have any? The govt. would save $1.34 per hundred $1 notes if we switched to dollar coins. We didn't switch because the $1 note was still available and we are creatures of habit. Had our govt. had any balls they would have stopped printing the $1 note and we would have switched albeit with some grumbling.

Back to lights. Here's the facts:
Each cone-shaped spiral CFL costs about $3, compared with 50 cents for a standard bulb. But a CFL uses about 75 percent less energy and lasts five years instead of a few months. A household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity. Look at your utility bill and imagine a 12 percent discount to estimate the savings.

Only the stupid people would buy incandescent lights after studying the issue. I don't want "stupid majority rule" and neither do you. Incandescent lights are more efficient at heating than lighting. Easy bake ovens were in the news recently because of this same issue. Do you do your cooking via incandescent light bulbs?

As americans we think we should have all freedom all the time. That's not what makes for a civilized society, but it sure sounds good.

Andrew Ryan said:

Actually, I just heard it on the news, on various new shows actually but if you don't believe me you can check wiki or any other resource aside from FOX news or some other insane "conservative," resource. But nice comparison between CFLs and Camel cigarettes, nice. But hey, surely the incandescent bulb (which is an early 20th century invention) can easily compete with CFL bulbs in terms of efficiency, lifespan and energy costs. Of course.

Compact fluorescent lamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Compete is a nice word but I don't think you want competition you seem to prefer monopoly.

MattRose said:

Only the stupid people would buy incandescent lights after studying the issue.

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Are you ignoring how unsafe CFL bulbs are compared to incandescents? Have you prepared in the event one breaks? Will you shoo children out of the house and dispose of the broken bulb in the proper manner?

Good for the environment does not always mean good for the average Joe Consumer.

TheManeki said:

You know, the obsessive focus on CFLs by conservatives and libertarians not only ignores the mercury that has been lurking in standard fluorescent bulbs, but also that LED bulbs are starting to become more and more commonplace. LED bulbs are getting cheaper all the time, consume a fraction of the electricity CFLs do, last longer than CFLs, and have no mercury.

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If that is the case than the only rational thing to do would be to outlaw cfls and flourescents as well so everyone is forced to use LED bulbs. Why pick on only incandescent in your environmental fear mongering.

grasping the after wind said:

If that is the case than the only rational thing to do would be to outlaw cfls and flourescents as well so everyone is forced to use LED bulbs. Why pick on only incandescent in your environmental fear mongering.

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Please learn a little patience. First give people a chance to be rational actors.

Zoooma said:

Are you ignoring how unsafe CFL bulbs are compared to incandescents? Have you prepared in the event one breaks? Will you shoo children out of the house and dispose of the broken bulb in the proper manner?

Good for the environment does not always mean good for the average Joe Consumer.

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Please answer the following to show your grasp of this issue:

1. About how much mercury is in a typical low mercury cfl?
2. About how much mercury is in a typical fluorescent bulb? Has this bothered you? Why or why not?
3. About how much mercury is in 2 kilograms / 4.4 pounds of tuna? Has this bothered you? Why or why not?

I'm waiting for LED home lighting to become more affordable.