[NCLUG] Re: "Green" power.

[Bob Proulx]

Chad Perrin wrote:
> Brian Wood wrote:
> > I always used those as much as I can, but lately I'm wondering about the
> > energy to produce and transport them (in China, with whatever
> > environmental rules they do or don't have), the possibility of toxic
> > materials in them (mercury?) and other such considerations.
> > 
> > Am I really helping by using them?
> 
> Not much.

I think the they hurt more than they help.  Every one is labeled
"dispose of properly".  How many people are going to put every burned
out on in a plastic bag (possibly double bagged?) and send them off to
hazardous waste handling?  I think the average american will simply
toss them into the trash to contaminate the landfill with mercury and
from there the runoff into lakes and streams.  If I thought that
people *would actually dispose of properly* then I could believe they
would help.  But since I have faith in human nature I believe people
will take the easy way out and simply throw them into the trash I
think they are bad.

But the real problem is that most fixtures are not designed for CFs.
Every compact fluorescent I have seen says they need to be mounted
upright with the base down.  This is due to the heat that they
produce.  If they are mounted upside down they burn out quickly due to
the heat.  In my house all of my ceiling fixtures are base up.  I have
tried them anyway and have had several burn out.  (Yes, I double
bagged them and disposed of them into the proper hazardous waste bin.)

Also every CF is manufactured in China and imported.  I don't think
pushing the dirty manufacturing processes off to other countries and
then shipping the product here is good for the environment either.  It
just moves the dirt around.

Bob