Time To Change The Light Bulb?

(CBS)  Thomas Edison invented them more than 125 years ago, but some are saying it's about time to change the light bulb, CBS News correspondent Daniel Sieberg reports.

"A compact fluorescent light bulb uses only one-quarter of the electricity and lasts 10 times as long as one of these," says Brian Castelli of the Alliance To Save Energy, holding a standard incandescent bulb.

Castelli is part of a growing coalition that wants to ban the standard bulb and replace it with compact fluorescents, which come in various shapes and wattages. Advocates say the switch would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save electricity — and money.

"Not using this light bulb is like taking a dollar bill and throwing it out the window," Castelli says of compact fluorescents.

For example, one compact fluorescent costs about $3, while an incandescent costs less than a quarter. But over a year, if you bought a compact fluorescent, you'd save $39 on your electricity bill, for a bulb that lasts about five years. Even so, it's not an easy sell.

"I didn't want to buy a spiral because they look funny," one consumer says.

Some people might also be turned off by the glow from compact fluorescents. But retail giant Wal-Mart thinks the new bulbs are a bright idea.

"We have an effort right now to sell 100 million bulbs this year," says Wal-Mart store manager Tracy Ferschweiler.

The switch is cool in Hollywood: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio showed off compact fluorescents on "Oprah." And they're already catching on in Cuba, Venezuela and Australia.

As for the United States ...

"If everybody traded one light bulb, the impact would be like taking 1 million cars off the road for one year or the ability to light 7 million additional homes in the United States," Castelli says.

And that's how many people it takes to change a light bulb.

[getteset]

I read an article a few years ago on disposing of broken fluorescent bulbs, it was unbelievable the waste that is created! If you dropped it on carpet and it broke you vacuum it up, take the vacuum bag, put it in sealed plastic bag, cut the carpet where the bulb landed plus a few extra feet circumferance, seal it in plastic, your shoes, clothes and any thing else that might have come into contact with the broken bulb must be sealed in plastic and disposed of 'properly.' So now you have 100 pounds of hazardous waste...Oh and you have to air your house out for 72 hours. This is "Going Green?"

Also I have five chandeliers. They use the pretty tapered lightbulbs. Not those ugly coiled things. Help! What am I supposed to do!?

[LucianaLucy]

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[LucianaLucy]

I take exception with these claims that the CF bulbs last longer than incandescent. I've been trying them in my home the last 2 years and they have not lasted any longer. I have replaced each at least once - some twice. Maybe in perfect situations they last longer, but in my home the regular bulbs are lasting just as long for a fraction of the price. Might try LED bulbs though, they seem more promising (though the price per bulb is still outrageous!)
http://www.imodernlighting.com

kaiyo4u you can recycle fluorescent lamps just like anything else, you just have to educate everyone on that topic

[tellnmwell]

My concern is a governmental mandate a ban on incandescent lights. They only account for small percent of energy use. Which one of the conservationist has a dishwasher? How about a ban on the following in your homes?

Dishwashers %u2013 do them by hand and let them air dry
Trash compacters %u2013 brown bag it in a trash bin
Microwaves %u2013 use grill or gas stove
Convections ovens %u2013 use grill or gas stove
Slow cookers %u2013 use grill or gas stove
Electric clocks %u2013 go back to windups
Hair dryers %u2013 let it air dry
Curing Irons %u2013 use rollers
Flat irons %u2013 use a do rag
Cordless phones %u2013 you know what to do
Cell phones %u2013 use the pay phone
Vacuums %u2013 get mop washable flooring
Pool pumps %u2013 swim in the lake or go to the rec

Hey, let get even more radical.

Dry Clean Only items %u2013 buy washables
Washing Machines %u2013 wear less and wash by hand
Clothes Dryers %u2013 hang them to dry
Rid all computer games and video games
AC%u2019s for the healthy %u2013 get to a public AC%u2019d building, use a fan or just sweat to cool

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!

Actually, I%u2019m not against conserving energy, but let%u2019s get real about it. In order to make significant change, you will have to change much more than bulbs. But how would you feel about a governmental mandate on all of that?

[kaiyo4u]

What are you going to do with the CFL's when they burn out? The phosphorous in the bulb is excited with mercury in order to get the light you see. Gee, do I see another environmental castrophe in the making? Albeit, the mercury is a small amount, but when you start filling the land fills with millions of burn out bulbs, it will make an impact.... Does anyone ever think about the environmental consequences of a new product or are you just sheep being shlepped along by the media? Tungsten and inert gases don't mess with the environment as drastically as mercury and phosphorous does. Just think of your food supplies if these elements get into your watershed. We have to currently watch the amount of ocean fish we consume due to mercury levels, do you want to give up fish entirely? What does that do to the eco-system if the life there is too polluted?
Something to think about...

[mysticrhythm]

These Bulbs Are fantastic, at least the GE brand bulbs we purchased were. We get 100 watts of great soft incandescent like light for only 24w actual use. You can't beat them. I am sure the price will keep going down also like everything else. In California and other energy stressed states, If every homeowner in the state used only 1 (one) of these bulbs per household, the energy saving would eliminate brownouts and rolling blacklouts entirely - unless caused by a nateral event. Those who are able to, should switch. your bill will go down, and the environment will be less stressed. Your children will thank you.
I live on a small fixed income , yet I was able to convert my whole home over , a few bulbs at a time over several months and we absolutely love them. They throw off way less heat (wasted energy) and we get the same amount of light we were accustomed to or more. They light up to full brighness in about 15-30 seconds. you get used to them very quick. We highly recommend them to all of our family and friends - give them a try!

[steveinnn]

I don't know who gives these prices on the new bulbs, but I've been able to buy four packs for under $8 at many big-box stores. I do believe they save money (and heating/cooling) vs. regular bulbs.

More people will buy the bulbs when the price goes down (which is exactly what I did). I do not find their light to be overly harsh or hard, and in fact I'm fairly happy with my &quot;small investment&quot;.

[cdegolier]

I use the energy smart light bulbs wherever I can, but they burn out in a few months when I have used them outside and they can not be used in my garage door opener. So until they work absolutly everywhere and are efficent everywhere the incandescent should not be banned. Actually if shouldn't be banned at all if people do not want to save themselves money so be it.

[jessxo1]

the government needs to start asking if people WANT to do something like this instead of just deciding oh yeah we're gunna ban old light bulbs.. im starting to wonder why any immigrants would want to come to america anymore we went from being the greatest country to being the country with the most ridiculous rules..i'm gunna give it at least five years before the us starts banning something like getting pregnant without being married.. stop taking away our freedom its gettin ridiculous.. make people sign petitions for this stuff and if there are enough signatures then do it don't just ask world leaders ask the public we're what matter when it comes to these situations .. k thanks.
america needs its freedom back