Compact Fluorescent Lights FAQ
CFLs make great stocking stuffers, Valentines gifts. Nothing says “I love
you or care” like a CFL!? Those twisty little guys do the trick.
Feeling your “carbon obesity,” get a CFL. Tired of mercury ending up on your plate in your fish? (Fish are tired of it too BTW!) Worried climate catastrophe is
around the corner? Too much of your hard earned money going to big
corporations that lobby and fund poor political leadership? We have a
simple solution (one of many). Just think, if everyone in America used
one, we would not have to build another nuclear or coal fired plant in the
States for years. What a concept!
Q: What do light bulbs have to do with carbon dioxide emissions?
A: When you go home and replace an ordinary 60 watt incandescent bulb with this 13 watt CFL, you will be saving 47 watts for the entire lifetime of the bulb. These bulbs provide the same lumens (or amount of light intensity) as incandescent, but have a rated life of 12,000 hours (15-20 times longer than an incandescent). That’s 564 kWh. That equates with about 1/3 of a ton of carbon emissions saved by this one bulb over its lifetime!
Q: Can changing a few light bulbs make a difference?
A: One compact fluorescent light bulb can reduce a lot of carbon emitted and energy consumed. Just think if everyone used them in their homes and offices. America would not need to build another nuclear or coal fired plant in the next 20 years. Combined with other alternative energy sources and adjustments in our lifestyles we could become fossil fuel independent in a matter of few decades. Now that’s something to crow about!
Q: Why should I bother?
A: Over the life of the bulb, you can expect your electricity bills to be reduced by $50. If used it 3 hours a day, you will save about $4.63 a year (for 11 years.) Your savings accrue faster if you replace frequently used bulbs. And savings will increase with rising electricity prices and costs. Beyond the pure utilitarian/money saving aspect, there are a host of other benefits listed on the below. Do it for you and your kids!
Q: Do all CFLs have this twisted shape?
A: There are many shapes and sizes available in stores. This includes bulbs with an outer glass shell that look much more like traditional bulbs, for open light fixtures. Vanity, spot, dimmer, three-way and candelabra bulbs are also available.
Q: I tried CFLs when I first heard about them, and they were very low quality.
A: Early CFLs had many quality control problems. They sputtered, hummed, and/or broke quickly. Quality is much better today, but there are still lower quality bulbs on the market. When buying bulbs, be sure to look for the Energy Star logo. Bulbs with the Energy Star logo have passed rigorous testing.
Q: Are there other benefits?
A:
1. Saving electricity also cuts emissions of other pollutants from power generation, such as NOx, SO x, and mercury.
2. Electricity generation is one of the largest users of fresh water. A typical coal or nuclear power plant will evaporate 3 gallons of water to produce 1 kWh of electricity.
3. Reducing your energy use delays the necessity of building new power plants and transmission lines, which helps to keep everyone’s electricity prices low.
4. When your air conditioner is running, the extra heat created by lighting has to be removed from your home. Taking this into account, your new CFL will be saving 62 watts during the summer months, compared to the 47 watt savings in the winter.
5. Many light fixtures have maximum watt ratings. With CFLs, you can use a much brighter bulb without exceeding the recommended wattage.
6. Because CFLs last much longer than traditional bulbs, they need to be changed much less often. This can be reason enough to use them in hard-to-reach light fixtures.
Q: Is there anything I can’t use them for?
A: Most CFLs do not work in dimmable light fixtures, although special dimmable bulbs are available. More styles are available for floodlights, various lampshade styles and decorative bulbs. And since CFLs produce little heat, they should not be used to protect your outdoor plants from frost, as is sometimes done with incandescent bulbs.
Q: What’s the downside?
A: Like all fluorescents, CFLs have a slight delay before they come on.
Q: Don’t fluorescent lights contain Mercury?
A: Some bulbs each contain about 2 mg of mercury. The reduction in mercury emitted by coal fired power plants (about 4 or more times as much, depending on the type of coal) will more than compensate for any mercury released into the atmosphere if the bulb breaks on disposal. While you are not legally obligated to recycle CFLs, it is clearly better for the environment if you do. Lamprecycle.org has information on how and where to recycle used CFLs. Clearly LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes) are the way to go as they last forever, are low in energy demand and can be made with lower environmental impact (See www.theledlight.com)
Q: Where can I get more bulbs?
A: Home improvement, hardware, and grocery stores also carry CFLs. Remember to look for the Energy Star logo. You can expect to pay $3 to $8 for CFLs.
The Forest Foundation is offering Autocell (EnergyStar and consumer rated highest quality) bulbs at a discount because of our commitment to environmental education and real, practical solutions to alternative energy and climate change. Help us help you. Make a tax deductible donation, or buy a bunch of these guys from us! Thank you for participating and don’t forget to write your elected representatives and ask them why more isn’t being done about climate change and transitioning our economy and society to a more sustainable future!
We have several extra cases of Autocell, Compact Florescent
15w(60watt equivalent) light bulbs, which we sold at our State Fair booth.
These are the “best of the best,” have no lead (a big plus, but do have mercury, sorry for the heavy metal confusion) and we have them on sale as a
fundraiser for our non-profit, The Forest Foundation.
They are $3.50, or 2 for $6.
We can also quote a case price of 40 units. And can drop ship to
those loved ones out of town. Come by and visit us at our warehouse.
We also have 25w(100watt equivalents) bulbs too, $4.50, or 2 for $8. As well, we have a range of fair trade crafts from the “last great places on the planet”… ah, but that isn’t as nearly an easy sell.
The Forest Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes sustainable livelihoods around the world… and around the block. We provide both environmental education and “green” business development through a number of ongoing programs and projects. We have a lot of really creative and innovative ideas, done a great deal of good with very limited resources and low overhead and need your support. Contact us at:
The Forest Foundation, Inc.
607 Ellis Rd., Bldg. 53-A1
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 957-1505 / Fax: -1502 info@theforestfoundation.org, www.theforestfoundation.org