[NCLUG] Re: "Green" power.

[Brian Wood]

Matt Taggart wrote:
>> 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".
> 
> I read somewhere that with the average mix of power in the US, the extra 
> power consumed by an incandescent over what a CF would use results in the 
> release to the environment of more mercury due to coal emissions than is 
> contained in the bulb itself. So even if it does get landfilled it's a net 
> gain, although you get the polution in one spot rather than spread across 
> the planet (I'm not sure which is better...).
> 
> I think in Colorado you still have a higher percentage of coal power than 
> the national average. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have less so it 
> might be a wash or maybe even worse. But if you are truely able to recycle 
> the bulbs (or at least sequester) then it's a win everywhere.

This entire discussion has shown that there is a lack of reliable
information on the subject, as well as a lack of a global perspective
(moving the pollution to China is NOT the solution).

I suspect a lot of the promotion of CF lamps is simply to make a profit
from selling them, not to help the planet. Most of the information
available comes from the government or industry, neither of which is a
particularly good source of true information about anything.

Mentioning proper recycling does not help to sell CFs, and might
actually hurt sales, so it is not emphasized, or even brought up.

> 
> Waiting for cheap high efficency LED bulbs,

As am I, but the CF industry will fight it as long as they can.

beww