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Ratings and Reviews For Eco-Friendly Lighting & Light Bulbs: Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
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MaxlLite Premium A19
Equivalent to 60 watt standard bulb (800 lumens). 15,000 hour lifespan. With this bulb you save 50 kw/hours per year and 100+ lbs of carbon emisions!! ARP: $8.25
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posted by: anonymous. 2008-01-21 how are you to recycle these light bulbs. When we get rid of them, what chemicals are the released back into the atmosphere? are they really that much better.?
posted by: Jason P.. 2008-01-21 The short answer to your question is that it is really worth it. There are two things to worry about with light bulbs: the carbon dioxide emitted when fuel is burned to produce electricity (and its global warming impact) and mercury. RE: global warming, CFLs consume 75% less energy than standard light bulbs, so they reduce your contribution to global warming by 75%. RE: mercury, the contribution is a little different. Small amounts of mercury are emitted every time you use any kind of light bulb, because the mercury is contained in the coal that is burned to produce electricity. I'm assuming you live in Ohio given your company - Ohio's power plants burn alot of coal, so relative to other states mercury emissions are quite high for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed. This is the most dangerous form of mercury, for it becomes airborne and is eventually washed into rivers, lakes and oceans (where it enter our food supply via fish). So, by using a CFL you cut this kind of mercury emission by 75% too. Now, CFLs also have a very small amount of mercury in the tubes themselves. If they are unbroken and recycled property, they pose no risk. I'll give you a couple of recycling links below. Even if they are broken and all of the mercury escapes, however, they are STILL less dangerous than standard light bulbs. If you broke a CFL on the very last day of its useful life, the amount of mercury emitted by a) the power it used over its lifespan and b) the broken bulb would be 1/2 of that created by incandescent bulbs over the same period. To find recyclers, check out the following: - CFLs can be recycled at any IKEA store, if you happen to have any near you. - Also check out http://www.lamprecycle.org/. There are many great resources there.
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