The Problems With Energy Saver Bulbs
Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Maybe you are saving the world a little bit every time that you purchase one of those energy saver bulbs. They do use less energy, and they last longer, which means that there is less trash from throwing out old bulbs. But there is a hidden secret, a toxic killer which lurks within many of these bulbs. Mercury, 5 milligrams of it, about as much as the tip of a pencil, and it is killing the world.
Well, not really. But it doesn’t help. Every time you throw out one of those bulbs you are adding a toxic element to the environment, however it’s not very much. In fact many household items, such as old time thermostats and thermometers, use much higher amounts of the substance and we have been throwing them out for years. Also, by the very nature of electricity itself, power plants that burn fossil fuels release tons of mercury into the environment each year, so using less electricity can actually offset the mercury in the bulbs.
However the best thing you can do is to just recycle those bulbs and make sure that they never release their toxic innards into environment. You can do this by finding a CFL recucling center somewhere near you. Ace Hardware, Home Depot, and Ikea all accept these bulbs for recycling at any of their locations. Additionally, you can search for CFL recycling centers at earth911.org, which will list them by location and proximity to you.
However many people live in houses which are located too far from a recycling center to make this method of disposal efficient. They would end up using so much gas fueling the car to get to the center, that much of the energy saving, and especially the money saving value would be lost. These people have two options, find a for profit company that will accept CFL’s via mail, or save up your bulbs and take them back in bulk.
If your local community doesn’t offer CFL recycling services, then you may want to get creative. If you call your local garbage service, you can find out about CFL recycling guidelines. Call you local government, and write letters, asking that they institute some sort of program or reform. You can even contact your local news agencies to see if you can get some coverage for your cause.
Honestly, all of this is a pain in the butt. People buy these spiral bulbs because it is an easy way to feel like your saving the environment, and it is a way to save money. Most people don;t care nearly enough to take the cause to the next level. I’m not sure that I will necessarily do any of these things. However your level of involvement is directly connected to your commitment to the cause, and those who do go to the next level are to be commended.
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