Comments on: The Truth About CFLs: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

By: Denise

Denise — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:55:21 +0000

Choice!!!!! End of story!!!

By: Terrie

Terrie — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:36:10 +0000

I am from Zimbabwe and I am an environmental and climate change activist. When I first heard about the CFLs, I thought they would be the best solution to electricity in my country. The worst part for us is although some house holds have started using them, they are not aware of the health and environmental dangers they pose. We don’t have the facilities to recycle and most of our waste doesn’t end up at the landfill, people dumb their waste by roadsides and later on burn the waste because gabage is not collected regularly. Quite a number of households use them, including hotels. I am to conduct a survey on how they are disposed off.

Some people agree that they use less energy though. Any suggestions are welcome on how best we can deal with the situation in our country. Unlike in the states we still have the liberty to choose which ones to use.

May I please have more information on the LED from anyone. Thank you.

By: Dale

Dale — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:18:52 +0000

About 60percent of the bulbs I use in my house are cfl bulbs, however, I still want to have the freedom use incandescent bulbs where I believe they work better such as in the bathroom, outside, dimmers and and small lamps. I should have the freedom to do so, down with the environmental dictatorship, power to the people.

By: treryt

treryt — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:27:10 +0000

The real danger about the CFLs is not the mercury, but the UV radiation they are emmiting.
It’s definitely not a thing to put near your face or eyes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamps_and_health

Of course, the old smokers and people who work in the sun all day long shouldn’t care.

By: TimJones

TimJones — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:17:21 +0000

My thoughts are that you’re citing anecdotal evidence. My experience has been just the opposite, but that’s just my experience. What I used to write the article was research done with the CFLs and non-CFL fixtures.

By: David Reed

David Reed — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 01:26:15 +0000

This is an interesting article, but it just plain ignores a lot of easily observable facts.

For example, I’ve been using CFL bulbs for years in old light fixtures never designed for CFL’s. Same bulbs, ever since I bought them. YEARS. Turning them on-and-off regularly, not ever really running them for hours.

So it’s directly observable to me that what you say just plain isn’t accurate. Based not just on one bulb, but on an entire home filled with them for a most of a decade.

Your thoughts?

By: anony.ms

anony.ms — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:46:05 +0000

there isn't a federal law. The state regulates the legislation in relation to waste. it is assumed that the consumer will take the product to a proper disposal facility. Most consumers are to distracted by the EPA funded Energy Star rating to pay attention to the tiny print that says “hey this bulb has enough mercury to contaminate 7000 gallons of water”.

By: Tim_Jones

Tim_Jones — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:51:30 +0000

I'm trying, Iggy! Thanks for the comment.

By: Iggylights

Iggylights — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 05:59:11 +0000

Here's a giant elephant in the living room that I can't seem to find any info about ANYWHERE. CFL bulbs are being marketed as an energy efficient alternative to incandescent, up to one fifth of the energy used for the amount of light output. Has anyone actually verified this? I metered the draw of a 14 watt CFL that is supposed to be the equivalent of a 60 watt incandescent and it was actually drawing close to 50 watts! I used a light meter to see if the light output was comparable and the CFL was 20% less. Where is the energy savings? I thought it might just be an anomaly so I tested CFLs of various wattage and manufacturers and it always came up the same. The load it was drawing was very close to the advertised equivalent in incandescent.

Try it yourself. Your local Home Depot or Lowes sells a digital meter called an "appliance tester" that you can use to see what various household electrical items draw. I paid around $30 for mine. I verified with numerous other known loads that it is accurate. All of the so-called "60 watt equivalents" I tested were in the 50 to 55 watt range. I have combed the internet to see if anyone else has noticed this and it seems like I am the only one. This is my first posting about this but I plan to find other sites that are "shedding light" on the CFL scam and posting on them too. Don't just take my word for it, test them yourself and you will see that there is no real energy savings.

If you really want to save energy and have a lamp with long life, LED is the only way to go. They contain no mercury, really do use 1/10 the power and last so long, you may never have to replace them.

Please spread the word. CFL is a scam. They are of no benefit.

By: Yukii

Yukii — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:54:07 +0000

They sure do not last very long