# How Many Legislators Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

We have this bright Legislator who want to outlaw incandescent lightbulbs in California. Now this might be a good idea if there was something to replace them with. This genius thinks we should replace them with Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL's). CFL's are hazardous waste, full of mercury.

I have tried these bulbs they don't put out strong light, don't last as long as they say they will, only last as long as a incandescent bulb and cost 15 times more.

You can't use them outside in the cold. There is nothing good about these bulbs, what you save in electricity will be spent buying the bulbs and recycling them. A lot will end up in our landfill. We need to come up with a lighting source that will will really save money like a LED type bulb. NO money in a bulb that never burns out.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Them









vs

Us


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

N7OQ said:


> CFL's are hazardous waste, full of mercury.


FWIW below is information regarding the amount of mercury in CFLs from Wikipedia. Of most concern would be whether consumers are aware of the proper steps for disposal of CFLs.



> Environmental issues
> Since CFLs use about 1/4 of the energy of incandescent bulbs they are a key part of efforts to fight pollution.
> 
> However, CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury. The amount is not large enough to pose a hazard to users, but it does become a concern at landfills and trash incinerators where the mercury from many bulbs can escape and contribute to air and water pollution.
> ...


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Yep I read the killer article about the need to recycle the CF bulbs - to me that is a deal killer right there. The rise of mercury in the landfills in CA will be another mess to deal with down the road.


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

We have no shortage of regulatory geniuses in the Granola State(full of fruits and nuts).


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

It never ceases to amaze me just how assinine our elected "officials" are any more! There must be something in their oath of office that we never see.....or something strange in the drinking water at the Capitol building.

I get more disillusioned every year. We still have the greatest country in the entire world but I sometimes wonder how.









Mark


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## summergames84 (Mar 6, 2004)

mswalt said:


> It never ceases to amaze me just how assinine our elected "officials" are any more! There must be something in their oath of office that we never see.....or something strange in the drinking water at the Capitol building.
> 
> I get more disillusioned every year. We still have the greatest country in the entire world but I sometimes wonder how.
> 
> ...


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

That and a trillion other reasons is why I would never live in CA. NJ is bad enough but CA just takes the cake in use-less legislation.

A local Senator here in NJ wants to ban cigarette smoking in cars if there is someone under 16 in the vehicle. Nice thought but don't we have bigger problems to solve such as the state is stone flat cold broke, broke, broke.

Every year before they pass the new budgets the state offices, parks, etc close since there is no money. They borrow more and on and on it goes each year.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

NJMikeC said:


> A local Senator here in NJ wants to ban cigarette smoking in cars if there is someone under 16 in the vehicle. Nice thought but ...


Mike, they're pushing for the same thing here, as well....in the "Live Free or Die" State.

Seems our local & State Troopers have more than enough to do out there already !!!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

I have those in about every light in the house.. I have seen a considerable decrease in my power bill.. I even have one outside in a night light.. The cold doesnt bother it, it cycles on when it gets dark.. I dont agree with the newly wanted law, but people, I would rather deal with mercury in CFL's rather than adding more nuclear power plants..

If we dont make changes very soon in our electrical use, we have no choice in additional power plants, and most will be nuclear.. Its all good till one leaks.. Then what?

Carey


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## Rubrhammer (Nov 27, 2006)

Bottom line is that legislators feel the need to come up with NEW laws. They some how think that if they don't they aren't doing their job. Personaly I think that their main job is to provide a budget for the (pick level, of government) ON TIME and without bankrupting the electorate. For anything other than that it is a part time job and I believe that was the intention of our founding fathers. Just my .02.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

I think we need to come up with a new rule, for every new dumb law they come up with they have to get rid of 2 old dumb law


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

More useless legislation - NY

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Feb13/0,4...minated,00.html

Orwell would be proud.


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> I have those in about every light in the house.. I have seen a considerable decrease in my power bill.. I even have one outside in a night light.. The cold doesnt bother it, it cycles on when it gets dark..
> Carey


I also have them In my house. They work great!! I will need to take one on vacation with me to see how it does in the cold though.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

sleecjr said:


> I have those in about every light in the house.. I have seen a considerable decrease in my power bill.. I even have one outside in a night light.. The cold doesnt bother it, it cycles on when it gets dark..
> Carey


I also have them In my house. They work great!! I will need to take one on vacation with me to see how it does in the cold though.








[/quote]

Its 11 degrees out right now.. Its working just fine.. has worked all winter and many nights have been below zero.

Carey


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> I have those in about every light in the house.. I have seen a considerable decrease in my power bill.. I even have one outside in a night light.. The cold doesnt bother it, it cycles on when it gets dark.. I dont agree with the newly wanted law, but people, I would rather deal with mercury in CFL's rather than adding more nuclear power plants..
> 
> If we dont make changes very soon in our electrical use, we have no choice in additional power plants, and most will be nuclear.. Its all good till one leaks.. Then what?
> 
> Carey


I agree they will save you electricity but I doubt it saves enough to keep from building new power plants. The average house hold would save $50 a year using these bulbs but you will spend that much for the bulbs and recycling containers. Plus it takes more power to make them.

Where I work we put in a bunch of these bulbs and now a year later we are replacing them but not with CFL's but back to regular Incandescent bulbs. We lost a lot of money trying these bulbs that were to last 4 years but only lasted 1 year. It was not cost effective for us to use them and we are spending a fortune buying recycle containers.

Now we still use a lots of 4 foot fluorescent bulbs and have got most of our fixtures converted to T8's, for large area lighting fluorescent lighting is the best way to go. I still hate them, the best thing to do is change the bulbs before they go bad then you don't have to change the ballasts but that doesn't always work.


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

N7OQ said:


> I have those in about every light in the house.. I have seen a considerable decrease in my power bill.. I even have one outside in a night light.. The cold doesnt bother it, it cycles on when it gets dark.. I dont agree with the newly wanted law, but people, I would rather deal with mercury in CFL's rather than adding more nuclear power plants..
> 
> If we dont make changes very soon in our electrical use, we have no choice in additional power plants, and most will be nuclear.. Its all good till one leaks.. Then what?
> 
> Carey


Haven't had a leaker, yet, Carey. Plenty of mercury and acid rain from coal-power, though. However many coal miners have died since nukes became available, is that many times more than have been killed by nukes - outside of Russia... That was a terrible design; it could not be built anywhere on the planet now.

Sluggo


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> I have those in about every light in the house.. I have seen a considerable decrease in my power bill.. I even have one outside in a night light.. The cold doesnt bother it, it cycles on when it gets dark.. I dont agree with the newly wanted law, but people, I would rather deal with mercury in CFL's rather than adding more nuclear power plants..
> 
> If we dont make changes very soon in our electrical use, we have no choice in additional power plants, and most will be nuclear.. Its all good till one leaks.. Then what?
> 
> Carey


Just for info, don't be so scared of nuclear power. Three mile island let out less radiation than what is released yearly from burning coal(There is natural urainium in coal). Chernobyl was bad safety design and neglect on the part of the Russians. There are designs available that are auto regulating, meaning as the material heats up it inhibits the reaction effectively shutting it down.

Waste is a factor, but if this country would allow fuel reprocessing like Europe does, it could be greatly reduced.


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

i would love to pat myself on the back for using the CFL's in my house as well. they work OK, but are definately more expensive. problem is that I drive a 1/2 ton truck, love to ride those pollution spewing ATV's, dirt bikes, and wave runners, and can think of numerous ways that i use energy in a less than ideal fashion. yes, every little bit helps, but I think our legislatures need to focus on the bigger picture. I'm not advocating that we all give up our big SUV's etc., just that we realize that using CFL's is a very small piece to a much bigger puzzle, and maybe our elected officials could look at solutions with more 'bang for your buck'. that legislator in CA must have stock or a family member in the CFL industry!!

just me 2 cents.

scott


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Personally, I like the CFL's. I have been using them for 3 years whenever an incandescent light burns out and have yet to replace a single one. I buy the cheap multipack at Costco and haven't looked back. Yes, when I turn on the porch light at night when it is 10 degrees F, it takes a minute or two for full light output. In my basement the delay is more like 30 seconds and shorter still on the main floor of the house. It's all worth it for me to reduce the number of times I change a light bulb. I'll cross the recycling bridge once one burns out!









As for Nukes, let's build some more. France is 80% Nuclear power without any major incidents. No C02 emissions, etc. Of course, my Outback is spending the winter within site of a Nuclear Plant so if it is glowing in the spring, I might change my opinion.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Haven't had a leaker, yet, Carey. Plenty of mercury and acid rain from coal-power, though. However many coal miners have died since nukes became available, is that many times more than have been killed by nukes - outside of Russia... That was a terrible design; it could not be built anywhere on the planet now.

Sluggo

I dont like the word, "Yet"

So you think I'm for more coal fired plants? Heck no! 
If we ever have a leaker, instantly everyone will change ther minds about nuclear energy.. Till then, lets add more to make everyone happy..

Both coal fired and nuclear powered plants need to be reduced, not added to.. We need to put our heads together to come up with other plans.. Remeber our kids need to live here also.. If it costs us more, so be it...

And yes, having less coal plants would affect my job. I haul coal ash out of all the power plants on the front range. Its called Flyash.. Its very nasty stuff that can kill you if you breath too much of it.. Its used in concrete, for strength. Also used in road beds, to strengthen the soil/roadbase. There is a shortage of it.. We cant get enough of it... Its been rationed for years!

Next problem, my semi uses 130 gallons of diesel fuel a day, because its used in a 24 hour operation.. It holds ten gallons of oil, that is changed every 10k miles.(every two weeks) I coax 7mpg out of it though because I care.. The avg is 5.5 to 6 mpg.. I do everything I can to conserve.

When I get home I try to continue to conserve in every way possible.. If we all do that in every area it will make a difference.. Simple as that!

Carey


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