CFL bulbs

[OhioFiler]

Since the discussion has gone political - let's not forget that the intent is not to limit people's freedom to choose, but to take a step toward energy conservation. Fluorescent lights simply use less energy than incandescent bulbs. That is by no means a new discovery.
The trouble is - fluorescent lighting is far more expensive to manufacture. This means that you use the energy being conserved in the home to produce the energy-conserving lights at the source. The "economies of scale" kick in much later in the replacement cycle, but it will never be enough to claim that fluorescent lighting costs less than incandescent lighting in terms of energy use. The only way to conserve energy when it comes to lighting is to shut it off!

Let's say you drive a Prius that gets 50 MPG. Your neighbor drives a Corolla that gets 35 MPG. You paid $30,000 for your Prius and your neighbor paid $25,000 for the Corolla. Your Prius is producing less tailpipe pollution per mile driven. You paid $5,000 more for the Prius. For what? To make the batteries and other assorted hybrid drive components. The tailpipe emissions that you are not producing with your Prius came out of the exhaust stacks of the transportation units and foundries needed to make the Prius. All you are doing is paying up front, and polluting the atmosphere up front. The same amount of carbon gets put into the atmosphere per weight/mile no matter what you drive. It is just the distribution pattern of energy expenditure that changes.

It costs the same amount of energy to illuminate a dark space to "X" intensity regardless of whether you use incandescent, fluorescent, LED's, or halogen bulbs.

Thomas Edison is rolling over in his grave by now.

To the liberal it is fine that the net energy used in the production and use of the CFL bulb is identical to that which is consumed in the production and use of incandescents bulb. The purchase and use of the Earth Friendly bulbs allows the liberal to feel good about himself and in the end that is all liberalism is about.

[tobee43]

To the liberal it is fine that the net energy used in the production and use of the CFL bulb is identical to that which is consumed in the production and use of incandescents bulb. The purchase and use of the Earth Friendly bulbs allows the liberal to feel good about himself and in the end that is all liberalism is about.

ok...i'm except that...but really our bill was down...LOL!!!!!!!

[AngelinaCatHub]

I'm enjoying this political thread. There is no doubt that CFL's last long and save power. Here is my big gripe. We are being lead like sheep, to energy cars. As stated they cause far more pollution in its manufacture than any standard car could. The batteries alone are a bio hazard. Government gave us a real choice in MAKING us put corn whiskey in our gasoline. Ethanol is vary hard on a gas engine. Find a place to not get that crap in the gas. Not only does is damage standard engines but the power output is about half that of real gasoline so, mileage goes down.

I have a diesel and always will. I get 44 mpg on a lower grade of fuel. It costs more, but that is a sham as it costs less to produce. In a tight squeeze I can burn kerosene, mineral spirits, corn or peanut oil, and a host of other oils. I do this with my tractor using (after straining) the fryer oil that Mrs. uses to make fried chicken or fish. When I change the hydrolic oil in the tractor (5 gallons) I throw it into the fuel tank and mow my yard.

So, the best bet for mileage per gallon is diesel. The new engines run as well as the gas engines in performance. They are cleaner than gas as 100% is burned up.

So what's with gas engines in hybrid? why not a small 3 cylinder diesel?

When Government passes a law, a slice of freedom has been removed from your life.

'Hub

[Peeps]

My experience with CFLs is limited. I've only installed two in my home, and neither of them lasted any longer than a regular incandescent bulb. One of them only lasted about three months, which annoyed me to no end. The florescent tubes in my laundry room really vary. Some lasted for a couple of years. Some died after a couple of weeks. Seriously. And then to really make the story weird, I have incandescent bulbs in high traffic areas that I haven't changed once since buying my condo. That was about ten years ago. I've sent more CFLs and florescent bulbs to the recycling center than incandescents, hands down. Plus incandescents are pretty benign, chemically, and don't seem to require a 3-man-act to dispose of them. A 65-cent, chemically benign bulb that lasts for over 10 years... tops in my book!

[Pandora]

Hub

Have you ever thought of making bio-diesel? Have a few friends that make it and use it in their trucks, tractors, and even to heat the garage. It's awesome and while the initial set-up will cost you a little, in the end I believe it was calculated out to less than 30 cents per gallon. If you know anyone that can get 55 gallon drums, thats the main cost for set-up typically - and all the fast food restaurants will either give you their oil or charge a small fee for it as they must pay more for disposal vs. giving it away. Wish I could stomach a diesel - alas the smell makes me sick and triggers migraines for me

As far as hybrid go - I love mine and wouldnt trade it for anything. Consistently get around 42-44 mpg city driving and have gotten 50+ highway (with AC going as well). I admit the lithium battery is costly (about $4K for mine) and need replacing after about 6 years, but generally it pays for itself over the course of gas savings. We have an F250 that gets about 13-15mpg and it kills me to fill it up at the current gas prices since it has a 28 gallon tank - OUCH - luckily we dont drive it very often and have managed to keep the miles low in the 4 years we've had it. Would love to fill it up like I do my hybrid and have it only cost $30-45 LOL! Ugh...

What I find absurd is that car manufacturer's tote these newer cars as being "great gas mileage" - averaging 35mpg highway driving - yet our old Dodge intrepid (2000) as well as our current 2002 Ford gets the same mpg consistently as the newer models produced today. Insane.

[Logan]

dh.......changed ALL the bulbs.....to cfl...about 6 months ago....HATE the way they "light" my low hangiing lights in the kitchen reflects....however,...i must admit our electric bill is down...

I found it disturbing that the Home Depot salesman was pooh poohing these bulbs. Some people don't like them, some people do but to actually tell me they shouldn't be put in the kitchen and/or bathroom and the savings wouldn't be that much is just flat out wrong.

Logan

[tobee43]

I found it disturbing that the Home Depot salesman was pooh poohing these bulbs. Some people don't like them, some people do but to actually tell me they shouldn't be put in the kitchen and/or bathroom and the savings wouldn't be that much is just flat out wrong.

Logan

i can attest to that...as we have 5 drop lights....in the cooking area and a stained glass light over the kitchen table....and as i was saying i don't like the "light" it illuminates against the beautiful hanging globes......i think they lost some of their beauty.....but i really have to say....we have those lights on the most in the entire house and they have most definitely saved us money....LOL...but he brought them at Lowes....so maybe that's the difference..

[Logan]

To the liberal it is fine that the net energy used in the production and use of the CFL bulb is identical to that which is consumed in the production and use of incandescents bulb. The purchase and use of the Earth Friendly bulbs allows the liberal to feel good about himself and in the end that is all liberalism is about.

This actually is false. The energy saved at the switch is more than the energy used to produce the cfl's over older bulbs.

Don't know where you're getting your info.....

[Logan]

i can attest to that...as we have 5 drop lights....in the cooking area and a stained glass light over the kitchen table....and as i was saying i don't like the "light" it illuminates against the beautiful hanging globes......i think they lost some of their beauty.....but i really have to say....we have those lights on the most in the entire house and they have most definitely saved us money....LOL...but he brought them at Lowes....so maybe that's the difference..

Also, why is saving the environment a liberal versus republican thing anyways? I grew up in California surfing and windsurfing. Many times the ocean would be filled with trash, my lungs would hurt from pollution and the sky was a very ugly brown. Who thinks that's ok?

I'm not sure it matters whether you're Republican or Democrat if you surf you want the waters clean. And if you're like me you agree and disagree with both parties. I just happen to think Environmental issues are more important than many other issues and tend to vote with the party that is closest to my belief.

And BTW both Republicans and Democrats suck when it comes to environmental issues.

Logan

[OhioFiler]

Also, why is saving the environment a liberal versus republican thing anyways? I grew up in California surfing and windsurfing. Many times the ocean would be filled with trash, my lungs would hurt from pollution and the sky was a very ugly brown. Who thinks that's ok?

I'm not sure it matters whether you're Republican or Democrat if you surf you want the waters clean. And if you're like me you agree and disagree with both parties. I just happen to think Environmental issues are more important than many other issues and tend to vote with the party that is closest to my belief.

And BTW both Republicans and Democrats suck when it comes to environmental issues.

Logan

Saving the environment is merely a cause embraced by phony politicians like Algore, capitalists in liberal clothes media goofs like Michael Moore and academics who need funding of some sort or another to pay their salaries.

The truth is our planet takes care of herself. For anyone to believe man can truly alter the environment beyond making surfing less fun off the coast of Southern California is emotional projection. This planet has survived catastrophic events over the millions of years she has existed. A few men pitching their styrofoam cups into the Pacific Ocean will not affect her.

[OhioFiler]

I found it disturbing that the Home Depot salesman was pooh poohing these bulbs. Some people don't like them, some people do but to actually tell me they shouldn't be put in the kitchen and/or bathroom and the savings wouldn't be that much is just flat out wrong.

Logan

I think it's liberal thinking to allow what a salesperson in a Big Box home improvement store says about lightbulbs disturb one. His opinion is just not that important unless you're his spouse.

[OhioFiler]

I'm enjoying this political thread. There is no doubt that CFL's last long and save power. Here is my big gripe. We are being lead like sheep, to energy cars. As stated they cause far more pollution in its manufacture than any standard car could. The batteries alone are a bio hazard. Government gave us a real choice in MAKING us put corn whiskey in our gasoline. Ethanol is vary hard on a gas engine. Find a place to not get that crap in the gas. Not only does is damage standard engines but the power output is about half that of real gasoline so, mileage goes down.

I have a diesel and always will. I get 44 mpg on a lower grade of fuel. It costs more, but that is a sham as it costs less to produce. In a tight squeeze I can burn kerosene, mineral spirits, corn or peanut oil, and a host of other oils. I do this with my tractor using (after straining) the fryer oil that Mrs. uses to make fried chicken or fish. When I change the hydrolic oil in the tractor (5 gallons) I throw it into the fuel tank and mow my yard.

So, the best bet for mileage per gallon is diesel. The new engines run as well as the gas engines in performance. They are cleaner than gas as 100% is burned up.

So what's with gas engines in hybrid? why not a small 3 cylinder diesel?

When Government passes a law, a slice of freedom has been removed from your life.

'Hub

I drive a lot so I chose to buy a hybrid when gas reached $4 per gallon in the summer of 2008. Now I have to wear sunglasses and keep my eyes straight ahead as I'm sure all the liberals I pass are high fiving me for trying to help them save the planet.

[Logan]

Why did Bush sign the bill to ban 100 watt bulbs?

[justbroke]

Why did Bush sign the bill to ban 100 watt bulbs?

Because Congress passed it with a supermajority so a veto meant nothing, really. (It passed 314-100 in the House.) Besides, everyone that took some electronics or even some basic science knows, Logan, that the incandescent bulb wastes more than 90% of the consumed energy in heat, not light. It's not just the 100-watt bulb anyhow. It only starts with 100-watt and ends with the 40-watt bulb in 2014.

Anyhow, I think this was right to do anyhow, but I'm unsure if CFLs were the way to go. Wait until they start showing up in the landfills and contaminating ground water and aquifers.

[OhioFiler]

Because Congress passed it with a supermajority so a veto meant nothing, really. (It passed 314-100 in the House.) Besides, everyone that took some electronics or even some basic science knows, Logan, that the incandescent bulb wastes more than 90% of the consumed energy in heat, not light. It's not just the 100-watt bulb anyhow. It only starts with 100-watt and ends with the 40-watt bulb in 2014.

Anyhow, I think this was right to do anyhow, but I'm unsure if CFLs were the way to go. Wait until they start showing up in the landfills and contaminating ground water and aquifers.

Wait until a baby seal chokes on one and perishes!