apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

No because I already have switched.

No, because the last time I tried, the light they cast changed the whole room and it was very unappealing. I'll stick to just turning off ligts when they are not needed and waiting for LEDs to come down in price.

I read somewhere that CFL's don't work well in fixtures where the bulb points down (as in most). Anyone experience this? Anyone know why? I just bought a CFL today to try it out. Luckily the fixture I bought it for points up.

No. I seem to have stockpiled a great amount of spare lightbulbs, and I feel it would be wasteful to not use those before attempting to switch over.

I find the light form these things totally unacceptable, and the issue of mercury, which is new to me, further justifies my avoidance of these lights from hell.

LED's will be an aesthetically and energy-conservationally superior choice in the very near future, and I look forward to that time.

In the meantime, I justify my gluttony by using mass transit, and practicing other energy-conserving lifestyle choices ( . . . and other ecologically minded practices) -- whenever and wherever possible.

I figured out at least one solution to the flickering and slow-build-to-full-on-ness problem this weekend. We have a ceiling fan/lighting fixture with space for four bulbs in our kitchen. Our space isn't very big, so I normally just use two bulbs. I tried using one regular and one CFL - voila! Instant gratification of turning on a proper light via the regular bulb, and energy saved with the CFL. Any flickering of the CFL isn't noticable when the light is supplemented by the regular bulb. I understand people not liking the effect of a CFL in a one-bulb appliance, but there's no reason not to integrate them into multi-bulb fixtures.

My dad had them throughout his house, and I hated two things - they way they wait a split second and then suddenly flicker on - especially at night this is a harsh shock to the eyes. And the pale cold light. It never seemed to illuminate dark rooms well. If the cool light is so annoying to so many, why can't they just use colored glass for the bulbs? That seems like a duh, but surely they'd have done it already if they could?? Anyone know?

No, I hate the light.

I will try LEDs when they come out, but I don't live in an office and do not want to be surrounded by fluorescent light.

I have a table lamp in my KITCHEN, I hate fluorescents that much.

I won't be switching anymore since I already use them in a few appropriate lamps, but not all. Its a small apartment.

We only have low-voltage and line-level halogens in our apartment. The only side lamps/floor lams we have are on dimmers and you cannot dim these fluorescent bulbs. If LEDs work (and have a nice daylight-quality to them, I'd be the first to buy them.

No, because all my lights are on dimmers and CFLs aren't dimmable (or at least the ones I've seen aren't). I've just been given a pack as a housewarming gift, but plan on regifting them to my Mom, who cares more about the environment than about aesthetics.

I have switched over. That one second delay before turning on does annoy, but the colour of the bulbs is not a problem depending on the colour temperature of the bulb. My landlord put this nasty blue-white one in the hallway, but mine emit a very nice even yellowish white very similar to a normal bulb.

Use dimmers

Personally, I really dislike the quality of CFL light. However, overly bright incandescent is also not my favorite. So I use dimmers on just about everything. Dimmers don't cost hardly anything nowdays (some less than one CFL) and the quality of the light is far more pleasing and much more restful for your eyes. They also save money - which is why the big push is on for CFLs.

I would like to see a big push for dimmers instead. According to LEVITON (a dimmer manufacturer) if you turn the light down to half on a dimmer, bulb life increases 15.5 times and the number of watts drops from 100 percent to 72 percent.

I know that people think CFLs are much more environmentally friendly. They do use less energy to run (less greenhouse gases from power plants), but they also contain mercury which is a hazardous waste which pollutes the earth and ground water when they are thrown away. So CFLs are not the automatic simple answer.

CFLs, however, are great for hard to reach places and closets where the heat from an incandescent lamp can be a real fire hazard and is actually against some fire codes.

my eco-conscious tells me i should but i just can't. i agree with others here that the color they cast is painful and i would rather conserve in other areas (which i do) and be sure to turn off lights when not needed, etc.

The only places we aren't using CFLs are our halogen & xenon spots under cabinets, a few track lights and about 8 up-light fixtures in the LR. Bedside, table lamps, overheads, closet light, bathroom lights (those ugly globes!) etc. are all CFLs.

I haven't had any 'flicker' effects, though they do take a while to get up to full brightness. But that's a good thing when you have to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night and don't want to be blinded by the bright bathroom.

And they give off a pretty warm light (watch the color temp when buying), so I haven't had any issues with the color.

I love the things. And some of our lights are about 6 years old.

Jeff

I tried using CFL, part of my complication is they can screw with PLC Home Automation systems. I've tried dimmable CFL with mixed results.

Not trying to plug my own site, but I wrote about it here: http://homepage.mac.com/gregjsmith/My%20Projects/The%20Homestead/Home%20Automation/Science_Of_Lighting.html

Regarding mercury, don't forget that most mercury pollution in this country comes from coal-fired power plants. The EPA estimates that 5 times more mercury is emitted to power an incandescent bulb than is used to manufacture a CFL. Even worse is that coal plants spew the mercury into the atmosphere, where it is dispersed all over the landscape. Even if you chuck a CFL in the trash, the mercury in it isn't likely to spread very far.

That said, I don't like the performance of CFLs either. I'm hoping LEDs come along quickly.

I have already switched over most of my fixtures to CFLs and plan to switch the rest of them this year. I have the fresh2 odor reducing ones in my bathroom (where the litter box lives) and the laundry room (where the boiler lives) and a mix throughout the rest of the apartment.

My original reason for switching was due to how hot my living room got during the summer if I turned on any lights. There is no A/C in there, but the one window never let in enough light to brighten up all of the exposed brick walls. The CFLs were bright enough to keep the room from having a dungeon quality but cool enough to keep me from melting.

I haven't noticed any flickering with mine so far (and I absolutely despise the traditional fluorescents that are used at my office), and some are surrounded by a translucent cover that helps to warm up the light.

To each her own, but I really like CFLs.

Re: mercury in CFLs compared to incandescents, Scott is right that incandescents put more mercury into the environment than CFLs over their lifetime. I have put in some links below that discuss this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CFL_bulb_mercury_use_environment.svg
http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/07/10/cfl-recycling/index.html

I'm a NO. CFL's can't be properly dimmed, put out an ugly, industrial looking "prison light" and tend to be way too bright. I have tried them - really didn't like them. At all. I just finished switching out all of my light fixtures to have a better quality of light in my home and I am not about to undo all that work with the wrong bulbs.

I realize they are much better in terms of power consumption, but if pink paint was better for the environment than white paint would I paint all of my walls pink...? Umm no.

the mercury only escapes if you break them. Most communities are supposed to recycle CFLs and regular fluorescent lights (by law?--can't remember), though you have to do the legwork to find out how they pick up/drop off.

In New Zealand, we can now get "warm light" CFLs. They are imported from Europe. The problem with these is that the warm light CFLs are long "stick" bulbs, not the more compact shape. I tried some standard CFLs and was appalled. But the "warm light" CFLs, in lights where the bulbs are concealed, are OK. With a "warm light" CFL hidden in a milk glass or cream-colored fabric/paper light shade, it's about the same as a standard white light bulb.

How is the mercury factor not even mentioned in the article?! I am using one of these, and had no idea that I should be recycling these after use. Maybe I'm just clueless, but it seems like we need a lot more education around these. I doubt I will continue using them, which is a shame, given that I would like to use something helpful to the environment.

After reading about CFLs on AT last week, we went to Home Depot and bought their "soft white" N:Vision CFL bulbs, which claim their light is 2700K, comparable to incandescent bulbs.

We put them in our porch lights and in the kitchen. They're fine outside, but in the kitchen I don't like them so far--the light is marginally, but (to me) noticably bluer than that of a regular light bulb. They also take maybe 30 seconds to get to full strength (although I really only noticed this when I stared right at them for awhile--they are pretty bright when you first turn them on). I'm going to give them a try and see if I can get used to them, but I am feeling dubious about it.

I searched online for the "Liberty Lights" bulbs that someone recommended in an earlier thread as having a warmer light, but I couldn't find anywhere that sells them--Liberty Lights appears to be an Indian company that sells lamps, chandeliers, etc., but I can't find any light bulbs they sell. Does anybody know where these are available, or have suggestions for other CFLs whose light looks more like normal light bulbs?

The vast majority of our lamps take bulbs that don't have a compact fluorescent equivalent... and after having real fluorescents in a former kitchen, I'm sure the way compact fluorescents would save energy is that I'd never turn those lights on.

As far as we can tell, the husband is the only Anglo in Phoenix to take the bus; we use a fraction of the energy of people who commute from mini-mansions in the suburbs. That'll do for saving energy.

Have been using them for about eight months now. Except for the mercury, I am pleased.

Am anxiously waiting for LED to go mainstream.

i voted no, all my lamps are on dimmers. the light cast from cfl bulb is awful. do these bulbs really save that much energy? i do other things to save energy.

How far is LED from mainstream?

I really need the ability to dim all my lights, which you can't do with CFL. Does anyone know of a enviromentally friendly bulb that you can dim?

I'll admit to not paying a huge amount of attention to this issue these days. But I was raised in a household where turning off lights and other forms of energy conservation were The Rule, long before such things were popular - my father was the energy conservation guy for the government utility company.

If someone has the calculations handy, I'll change my position, but for now, I'm willing to bet that in a small home that gets average use, changing lightbulbs is going to be the LEAST difference any of us can make towards energy conservation and financial savings. Especially considering how many people now have TVs, computers, appliances, electronics, electrically-operated EVERYTHING (not to mention re-chargers for our portable items) going 24 hours a day, whether those things need to be on or not! (Not to mention the heating costs associated with poor insullation, older heating systems, and so on.)

I'd also be willing to bet that 3/4 of people buying CFLs are just throwing them in the regular trash when they die.

I've been using them for a few years already in a couple of rooms in my house, but other lights in the same rooms still have incandescent bulbs so I can choose between the two depending on how the rooms are being used.

I won't be switching because I have already changed as many lights as can be switched over. What's holding me back from switching more is that four room's lighting systems are on dimmers. I need a low energy bulb that will work with dimmers.

I voted No.

One issue unaddressed by CFL and other flourescent fixtures is UV emissions. In most homes and spaces this is not an issue but for me it is.

As a landscape photographer with my entire exhibition portfolio hanging on my walls, I simply cannot afford to have my expensive photographs bleached out over time by flourescent fixtures. Therefore, when I have used them, they are used in places where their harsh blue-green tinted light will not come near my photographs, not even indirectly. Therefore their use in my home has been limited to the bathroom, kitchen and basement.

I may spend more money on electricity, but that slightly increased cost is far less than the tremendous cost of reprinting my portfolio every 3-5 years or framing my pieces under UV reflective glass.

As a soft-pink bulb addict (oh they're just so soothing & *flattering*), I've never considered any CFL.

A quickie google just unearthed soft pink CFLs - I might just convert.

lc

Here are some links for dimmable CFLs:

http://www.buylighting.com/Dimmable-Compact-Fluorescent-s/113.htm
http://www.thegreenguide.com/blog/freshfinds/340

I have them in 2 lamps right now. One is a 3-way and I use that one the most, but both are concealed by shades in warm tones. The resulting light is not quite so cold. My landlord installed awful bare circular fluorescents as ceiling lights in the kitchen & living room and I avoid using them as much as possible. Landlord pays the electricity so the CFL's are a compromise.

No, I have changed all the high usage lights already and I am happy to say that it seems I am saving about $25 a month on electricity already. That aside, I haven't noticed any sorts of light-temperature issues, although most lights running them have shades and the kitchen has a built-in slightly blue tint ;) I also concede that I have not, as of yet changed over the bulbs in the chandeliers, for which I am hesitant over the fact that I personally enjoy the shape of the 'flame' bulbs on a kitschy sort of level :)

I like the light from flourescents, which I use exclusively; it's white light, what's there to dislike? Ikea flourescent bulbs, which are encased in a globe, offer a warmer light, but they are the warm-up kind. Also, linen or duckcloth lampshades will warm the light as well. When I finally replaced my old bulbs, my bill was reduced by 30%.

As for recycling, how could you NOT know? Everything that is not biodegradable waste (and even some of this too) should be recycled in a specific way.

I think it's disgusting that some people are such crybabies they won't switch to flourescents because the light is not yellow, knowing the environmental benefits. This is why the environmental movement has struggled so much, and why the US is the worlds biggest polluter, because of whiners.

I agree with the person above, and wish that AT would do a more thorough post about CFLs, because it seems like a lot of the objections to the bulbs (none of them dim! They take a long time to turn on! The light they cast is bluish green!) are simply not true or outdated and it’s a shame that people who are learning about the bulbs for the first time are getting misinformation. I changed out all my overhead bulbs to CFLs and there was NO discernable difference in the color/”harshness” of the light. They were BRIGHTER, but I’m assuming that could be remedied by switching to a lower wattage (I preferred the brightness because I live in an apartment that gets very little natural light and I get tired of never being able to see anything). I did buy some CFLs that promised me a “natural light” and those did give off a weird, TV-esque blue glow, which I didn’t love. But the standard-issue CFLs were fine and the light was totally normal.

There are lots of other things people can do to save energy, but few are as simple as switching a lightbulb to a CFL and leaving it there for the next five years. One small, one-time action results in years of cost and energy savings. It seems like a no-brainer to me, especially given the variety of CFL options currently on the market. But, yeah, there are a lot of whiny crybabies in this country, apparently.

Want to save energy?
Like the warm flattering light of halogen?
Need to dim the lamps with standard dimmers?

GE has a 21 watt Halogen lamp that's basically an Mini halogen lamp with a built-in transformer that can be dimmed with standard wall dimmers.


Google Search for:
"GE Diamond Precise MR16"

I'm with Monica. I'm *very* surprised by the response in these AT comments/objections. Most of them have been addressed, but I'll elaborate one a few.

In terms of color/quality of the light, there are are things to look at, color temperature (if you like the look of incandescents, pick something closer to 3000K) and the other due to CRI. Almost all CFL bulbs these days are CRI 80+, but if you're picky, you can get CFLs that are CRI 95+ - they're as good as any full-spectrum incandescents. There are lots

In terms of mercury, others have pointed out references as well. I like the EPA Fact Sheet: http://www.nema.org/lamprecycle/epafactsheet-cfl.pdf

In terms of overall savings, you can run the numbers yourself (ie if Amy recycled all of her current incandescent bulbs, she would save about $30-50/fixture over the life of the new replacement CFLs). Productdose had a good writeup w/ Excel sheet (also comparing LED bulbs): http://www.productdose.com/article.php?article_id=1142

In terms of aggregate impact, here's an excercise I did: http://randomfoo.net/blog/id/4091
Basically, the energy saved if one incandescent bulb was replaced every US household is the equivalent of building a new nuclear power plant (or, more realistically, several coal-fired power plants).

John, if you have framed prints, aren't they already behind UV-blocking glass? If not, you have a lot more to worry about from daylight than from indoor lighting.

The best bulb I have seen for color and output is N:Vision's 3100K flood/spot--available at Home Depot. This light has a very bright pleasing light. I have a bunch of can fixtures and have put various bulbs--incandescent, halogen, CFL, and LED in them. People who come to my house so far always pick the N:Vision 3100K CFL as their favorite. The halogen is always #2--beautiful light also, but very hot and inefficient. The LED lamp is usually last because it puts out the least light and is noticeably blue, but I chose the higher color temp because the warmer varieties do not yet put out enough light for those fixtures. I too am looking forward to the promise of better LED bulbs. Until then the N:Vision CFL is my choice.

The health risk using CFL is too great. I have removed all CFLs from my home. These include the mercury and lead used in the bulb, and the head ache, migraines, increased skin canceer as a result of the radiation and flicker given off by he blubes.

I love these bulbs. I have slowly been changing everything over. My first bulb was over 7 years ago. I bought it to put in the basement (a light that goes on when the stair light is on), It’s still working. My husband thought it was a waste of money, a few months ago I pointed out that it was the same bulb. Needless to say he was amazed. A few years later I bought a 3 pack and 2 went in other basement rooms and 1 in the garage. The next bulbs I bought were for lamps. I thought I had everything covered until they started creating new bulbs. I’m now working on replacing all the ceiling fan bulbs (when they burn out of course.) I just discovered (today) that they now make bulbs for dimmer lights…this is exciting the last room in my basement will now be converted. They also make a 3 way bulb…this will take care of my last bulb for a lamp.

Now if I could only find a 1wt bulb to replace all the night light bulbs in I have in the décor lights all over my house. Sure the currant bulbs are only around 4-5 wt but they are always burning out since I never turn them off.

I haven’t noticed any “flickering” or flashing when they come on. When you first turn them on they are a little dim but in a few seconds after they “warm up” they are just as bright as other bulbs.

The saving is amazing. Just one ceiling fan use to use 160 wt (4 bulbs @ 40wt) now they use 28wt that is a savings of 132wt and when they are all changed over that will be savings of almost 400wts when they are all on…amazing! I use to unscrew a few bulbs to save energy in the ceiling fans but then it would be dark, now no need it’s even brighter with less energy.

With the rising cost of energy I’m all about saving money. I wish my town was a walker/biker friendly town with effective public transportation. But it’s not so both my husband and I will always have our car and truck…..I just love shelling out $3 bucks a gallon for gas!

I think a lot of the negative comments stem from lack of education. There are a variety of CFLs that do not have these negative traits people are complaining about. For one, try searching for "soft pink CFL" online. It is a perfect light to use and is flattering for any room. Two, try searching for dimmable CFL. Companies have been making them, people just don't want to put forth the effort into looking for them.

The mercury argument is a weak excuse. Mercury is also in any non-farm raised fish. We still eat that. And we've all been around fluorescent lights forever--malls, kitchens, offices, hospitals. They also contain the same mercury people are whining about. It all comes down to being careful and being educated. Learn how to dispose of these items. Be careful when handling light bulbs (any kind!). It's not like light bulbs spontaneously combust (okay, maybe on rare occasions, but really people!).

Another thing is, why are poeople so stubborn and selfish? This is your children's future planet we are talking about. I don't even plan on having kids ever and I'm still worried about the planet being destroyed.

People would rather not adapt to survive as the human race, and instead would like to continue with their own agenda in their own little world. Is this the twilight zone? How are we so spoiled and selfish that we don't even care about our own children and their quality of life.