Thanks for the tip. I have bought a bunch of these bulbs and thinking I had YEARS until one burned out really didn't think much about the mercury issue. But, we did have one burn out (in something less than 2 years). I tried to be a responsible citizen and dispose of it properly. But, after hours of searching on the Internet, I could not find a way to dispose of the stupid thing. So, I put it in a plastic bag and dumped it in the trash.
I think mercury filled CFLs are a disaster waiting to happen. But, one site I read said they contain a VERY small amount of mercury, too little to be really harmful. After reading this article I'm not sure what to believe.
According to the calculator at the link you provided my greenhouse gas contribution is 79,653 pounds per year. I don't know what the average is but mine sure seems high.
Have you seen Al Gore's movie about global warming? It is shocking.
I received an e-mail last week from some conservative politcians looking for my support of a bill that they were happy to say would require a 20% reduction in fossil fuel consumption over the next 60 years. They are a lot more patient than I am.
Guys, this is truly a dilemma. We are such a gluttonous society!! Al Gore's "footprint" from his estate was INCREDIBLY high! So, he's sucking energy worse than we are. I wish I knew the answer. Right now, anything we do won't help for many, many years....but we have a legacy to leave our kids and grandkids. What'll it be??
I so want to jump on a bandwagon and make a difference - but like with these new bulbs we don't always stop and think it through. Just TELL me what to do!
oops we broke one cleaned it up and moved on. You have to haz mat spray paint, paint, and florescent bulbs where I work. I didn't think to check to those bulbs. You save money and power with them.
“Through a spokesperson, Gore has responded to criticism of his bloated electric bill by arguing that his lifestyle is actually "carbon neutral" because he offsets 100% of the environmental impact of his power consumption by purchasing "green energy" and investing in projects that promote renewable resources and reduce overall consumption. This strategy, known as carbon offsetting, has won acceptance among the environmentally conscious as a way to effectively zero out their "carbon footprint" without living in a grass hut. Some argue that carbon offsets are a cop-out -- the ecological equivalent of expiating one's sins by purchasing indulgences from the church -- but others tout them as a crucial weapon in the long-term fight against global warming.
People that disagree with Gore’s politics and/or Global Warming ask us to view Gore's lifestyle as hypocritical because on the one hand he advocates energy conservation by all, while on the other consuming an "extravagant" amount of energy in his own home. And put in just those terms, it may seem an open and shut case. But how far, really, do Al Gore's deeds differ from his own words?
In the book version of An Inconvenient Truth where Gore discusses what ordinary citizens can do to help combat global warming, he stops well short of calling for deep sacrifice or lifestyle change.
First, he lists a number of modest steps individuals can take to make their homes and activities more environmentally friendly -- like using energy-efficient appliances, adjusting the thermostat by a couple of degrees, installing solar panels, and using less hot water when possible -- all of which are economically as well as ecologically beneficial, and none of which we have any reason to believe Gore is not taking himself.
Second, he preaches activism -- voting for environmentally enlightened measures and candidates and spreading he gospel of global warming. And in these we know Al Gore has played an exemplary role.
Third, he argues that everyone ought to try to achieve a "carbon neutral" lifestyle. How? By doing precisely what he does -- offsetting one's environmental impact through investments in projects and enterprises aimed at reducing energy consumption overall.
So, where is the disjunct between what he says and what he does? Unless you put words in his mouth, there isn't one. You might argue that it would be better for the environment if people like Gore lived in smaller houses and modified their lifestyles instead of shelling out bucks for carbon offsets -- and you might even be right -- but that's a policy disagreement, not proof that he's a hypocrite. Folks who dislike his politics will no doubt call him hypocritical just the same, but judged strictly in terms of whether or not Al Gore practices what he preaches, the case against him is a sham.”
Joe, thanks for your input! You are so open minded. I love it. No, haven't seen the movie...it would probably put me into a tailspin! We already know there's a problem...we have for decades, yet we don't do much about it. I don't know any answers to these problems. I know I switch off lights and unplug stuff, I recycle just about everything. I'm interested in everyone's ideas!
Over here in the UK I have used low energy light bulbs throughout my home for just about a year - it has made a big difference. And along with not having electrical items on 'standby' - eg: the tv etc - we have reduced our electricity use by over a third - a big financial saving to us and a reduction in energy use. It's crazy to leave stuff on 'standby', especially overnight. We recycle paper, cardboard, cans, bottles; clothes that we no longer use go to charity shops. We have reduced the emptying of our household rubbish bin [trash] down from once a week to once a month. Once you get into green habits it's easy. It would be great to live closer to town and then I could use a bycycle to get around. Hopefully over the next few years we will be able to do more. Son and daughter in law, with Will, are hopefully going to build next to us and they are planning to have solar roof tiles, a domestic wind turbine and a geo thermal heating system. Our 'granny extension' will also be built along the same lines. We really do need to become more 'green'.
9 comments:
thanks for the tip! hope all is well with you.
Thanks for the tip. I have bought a bunch of these bulbs and thinking I had YEARS until one burned out really didn't think much about the mercury issue. But, we did have one burn out (in something less than 2 years). I tried to be a responsible citizen and dispose of it properly. But, after hours of searching on the Internet, I could not find a way to dispose of the stupid thing. So, I put it in a plastic bag and dumped it in the trash.
I think mercury filled CFLs are a disaster waiting to happen. But, one site I read said they contain a VERY small amount of mercury, too little to be really harmful. After reading this article I'm not sure what to believe.
Peace,
Brian
According to the calculator at the link you provided my greenhouse gas contribution is 79,653 pounds per year. I don't know what the average is but mine sure seems high.
Have you seen Al Gore's movie about global warming? It is shocking.
I received an e-mail last week from some conservative politcians looking for my support of a bill that they were happy to say would require a 20% reduction in fossil fuel consumption over the next 60 years. They are a lot more patient than I am.
Guys, this is truly a dilemma. We are such a gluttonous society!!
Al Gore's "footprint" from his estate was INCREDIBLY high! So, he's sucking energy worse than we are.
I wish I knew the answer. Right now, anything we do won't help for many, many years....but we have a legacy to leave our kids and grandkids. What'll it be??
I so want to jump on a bandwagon and make a difference - but like with these new bulbs we don't always stop and think it through. Just TELL me what to do!
oops we broke one cleaned it up and moved on. You have to haz mat spray paint, paint, and florescent bulbs where I work. I didn't think to check to those bulbs. You save money and power with them.
Karen, from About.com:
“Through a spokesperson, Gore has responded to criticism of his bloated electric bill by arguing that his lifestyle is actually "carbon neutral" because he offsets 100% of the environmental impact of his power consumption by purchasing "green energy" and investing in projects that promote renewable resources and reduce overall consumption. This strategy, known as carbon offsetting, has won acceptance among the environmentally conscious as a way to effectively zero out their "carbon footprint" without living in a grass hut. Some argue that carbon offsets are a cop-out -- the ecological equivalent of expiating one's sins by purchasing indulgences from the church -- but others tout them as a crucial weapon in the long-term fight against global warming.
People that disagree with Gore’s politics and/or Global Warming ask us to view Gore's lifestyle as hypocritical because on the one hand he advocates energy conservation by all, while on the other consuming an "extravagant" amount of energy in his own home. And put in just those terms, it may seem an open and shut case. But how far, really, do Al Gore's deeds differ from his own words?
In the book version of An Inconvenient Truth where Gore discusses what ordinary citizens can do to help combat global warming, he stops well short of calling for deep sacrifice or lifestyle change.
First, he lists a number of modest steps individuals can take to make their homes and activities more environmentally friendly -- like using energy-efficient appliances, adjusting the thermostat by a couple of degrees, installing solar panels, and using less hot water when possible -- all of which are economically as well as ecologically beneficial, and none of which we have any reason to believe Gore is not taking himself.
Second, he preaches activism -- voting for environmentally enlightened measures and candidates and spreading he gospel of global warming. And in these we know Al Gore has played an exemplary role.
Third, he argues that everyone ought to try to achieve a "carbon neutral" lifestyle. How? By doing precisely what he does -- offsetting one's environmental impact through investments in projects and enterprises aimed at reducing energy consumption overall.
So, where is the disjunct between what he says and what he does? Unless you put words in his mouth, there isn't one. You might argue that it would be better for the environment if people like Gore lived in smaller houses and modified their lifestyles instead of shelling out bucks for carbon offsets -- and you might even be right -- but that's a policy disagreement, not proof that he's a hypocrite. Folks who dislike his politics will no doubt call him hypocritical just the same, but judged strictly in terms of whether or not Al Gore practices what he preaches, the case against him is a sham.”
Have you seen the movie “An Inconvenient Truth”?
Joe, thanks for your input! You are so open minded. I love it.
No, haven't seen the movie...it would probably put me into a tailspin! We already know there's a problem...we have for decades, yet we don't do much about it.
I don't know any answers to these problems. I know I switch off lights and unplug stuff, I recycle just about everything. I'm interested in everyone's ideas!
Over here in the UK I have used low energy light bulbs throughout my home for just about a year - it has made a big difference. And along with not having electrical items on 'standby' - eg: the tv etc - we have reduced our electricity use by over a third - a big financial saving to us and a reduction in energy use. It's crazy to leave stuff on 'standby', especially overnight.
We recycle paper, cardboard, cans, bottles; clothes that we no longer use go to charity shops. We have reduced the emptying of our household rubbish bin [trash] down from once a week to once a month.
Once you get into green habits it's easy.
It would be great to live closer to town and then I could use a bycycle to get around.
Hopefully over the next few years we will be able to do more. Son and daughter in law, with Will, are hopefully going to build next to us and they are planning to have solar roof tiles, a domestic wind turbine and a geo thermal heating system. Our 'granny extension' will also be built along the same lines.
We really do need to become more 'green'.
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