What do you think about the ban on light bulbs

[Myothername]

Apparently not a lot of people know about this but a couple of years ago congress passed the bill that would ban incandescent light bulbs by 2014. I heard about it about a year ago and started hoarding light bulbs. I don't like the new ones for one reason because I am being forced to use them. Also, I don't like the light but most importantly they contain mercury. Not a good thing at all. The EPA website says you should recycle them. That is a good idea but honestly how many people are going to do that? Most people will simply throw them in the trash like they do now. That means they will make it into landfills. That means they will break in the landfills. That means the mercury will get into the environment.

I am so stinking mad about this I could scream. But I do have quite a store of incandescent light bulbs. I buy a pack of them everytime I go to the store. I shouldn't need to pollute the environment for quite some time.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I hate the new CFLs. Fluorescents do not give a good quality light. They fade everything. When I worked in a supermarket, you could see a huge difference in color between the produce that was in front and the produce that was in the back of the shelf. Fluorescents have a flickering quality that can induce migraines in susceptible people. They also can cause problems for kids with sensory processing disorders (one reason I have lamps and Christmas lights all over my classroom instead of using the overheads). I'm not convinced they're any better for the environment. They may save energy while in use, but are considered hazardous waste.

I can't help but wonder what people who have sensitivities to fluroescents- particularly migraine sufferers, are going to do.

 

[Myothername]

I heard when this was first coming up that you could get some kind of waiver for medical reasons such if you had migraines. I did a brief seach on google and could not find anything though.

 

[SandrA9810]

Doesn't bother me. Sitting under a low watt bulb, like 60 watts or something, gives me the biggest headache in the world. I'd rather not have the light on at all.

And there's several low light/yellowish CFLs that definatly give off light like an incandesents.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

not a big deal, I am converting all my household bulbs to L.E.D.'s

they now have types that will emulate different typs of incandescant bulbs..soft white, brilliant white, soft yellow, etc. etc.

 

[shortbun]

All our bulbs are converted. We plan to recycle them like we do everything else. No biggie.

 

[kelly1218]

I don't think it's a big deal either.

The CFL's do come in different light types. Soft white, bright white and natural light.

I don't like the look of the natural light ones, but the others work great throughout the house.

And since Home Depot recycles the old CFL's, it's not a big deal to drop them off there once in awhile.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I want all pink bulbs in my house, anyway, so I look as young as possible as long as possible. Never mind that they're not good for seeing, or reading, or everyday tasks...

 

[Sleepy]

Europe is doing the same thing.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

We switched to CFLs years ago. I don't mind the light and like the significant cost savings. That said, I hate making them mandatory. If they want to cut down on electricity usage, tax electricity and let us decide how we will conserve. I hate micromanaging regulations.

We actually got burned by a stupid consequence of a related regulation. Now, all ceiling fans must come with CFLs. There is an exception, though. If the fan uses a weird sized fixture for the bulb to screw in, they don't have to ship with CFLs. For our last fan, they purposely made it with a weird fixture size to save the cost of putting in CFLs so we are stuck with a fan that cannot use CFLs.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I want all pink bulbs in my house, anyway, so I look as young as possible as long as possible. Never mind that they're not good for seeing, or reading, or everyday tasks...

LOL!

I heard that incandescent bulbs have a little mercury too, and no one recycles those.

The technology used to make new lighting is improving everyday. By 2014, they'll have the new bulbs perfected.

 

[kelly1218]

I want all pink bulbs in my house, anyway, so I look as young as possible as long as possible. Never mind that they're not good for seeing, or reading, or everyday tasks...

ohhhh...good idea!!!!

 

[livie1205]

I have TONS of reg bulbs in my closet...I do not like the new ones ...it makes everything look dimmer or something...just weird.I do not burn alot of light though,during the day my lights are off and at night we use just what we need and when we leave rooms we turn the lights off.Last month when it was soooo cold and everyone was getting high bills our was 140.00! We really try to conserve anyway....we just do not like those bulbs.

 

[All American]

Ugh! --about sums it up for me.

 

[Myothername]

Incandescent bulbs have never contained mercury but you can't tell me everyone is going to take the time and effort to recycle their bulbs. People rarely recylce their trash which is much easier than the bulbs. Mark my words in 10-15 years there will be stories of the mercury showing up in the food chain. Of course no one thought it would show up in our fish and it did. Remember DDT? Who would have thought that would be what nearly wiped out the Bald Eagle or the Blue Heron.

 

[Poohbear123]

Not that thrilled about OUR Government telling us WHAT kind of Light bulbs we can use....next they will be telling us what kind of underwear to wear!

 

[Carly_Roach]

Not that thrilled about OUR Government telling us WHAT kind of Light bulbs we can use....next they will be telling us what kind of underwear to wear!

The time to have acted on this law and others like it was when it was being passed. If people aren't going to pay attention to what Congress is doing all the time (as opposed to when the media tells them to pay attention), they lose the right to complain when a law gets passed that affects them.

Personally, I'm pretty angry that there aren't any new regular flow toilets anymore. It was mandated several years ago that only low-flow toilets will be utilized in the US to save on water. But since I didn't voice my concern when it was being passed, there's really nothing I can do about it now except whine (and have the plumber re-work our old toilets instead of replace them).

 

[All American]

Not that thrilled about OUR Government telling us WHAT kind of Light bulbs we can use....next they will be telling us what kind of underwear to wear!

Forget underwear. Soon enough we'll be required to use leaves for toilet paper. At that point, I will lead the rebellion for the love of Charmin.

 

[Planogirl]

Some of the new bulbs don't fit too well in older lamps. We have one where the bulb sticks out the top. We also have one with the old wire lamp shade that actually rests on the bulb. I guess that it's time to replace lamps.

I don't care which bulb we use though. To me the lighting from the newer bulbs is fine.

 

[kinntj]

We are also buying the regular bulbs by the case from Sam's Club. I hate the lighting of the new bulbs and that they contain mercury. The only places we do have those CFL bulbs are in closets, basement and garage.

I do suffer from migraines and I can't stand being under that lighting for very long.