it's not easy being green....

[panthergirl]

so, as the old lightbulbs blow out in my house, I've been using some of those
cfl bulbs (compact fluorescent)
they are supposed to save a bunch on energy
and last longer etc
but it has come to my attention that you are not supposed to throw them in the trash because they do have a very small amount of mercury in 'em.
they have to be disposed of as you would dispose of hazardous waste.
eventually, with the number of them being sold and used... it could have a really serious effect on the water supply.

:scared:

and i am sick of my neighbor using her sprinklers every freakin day when we are under water restrictions due to a severe drought... there are two days a week when you can use lawn sprinklers... she has them on every single morning.
that's piggish.

[oblio]

throw the mercury laced light bulb at her head.

[panthergirl]

brilliant!


:silly:

[reallygroovN]

LOFREAKINL!!!

:silly:

[brokenarrow]

LOFREAKINL!!!

:silly:


THAT WAS MY EXACT REACTION WHEN I READ FRIGGIN' NEIL!!!!!
too funny!!!



We're starting to look into the cfl bulbs also. I don't know what to make of the whole thing and have been reading a lot about them over the last few weeks. We have one, yes only one so far as our front door light. On the package (it's a GE bulb), there is a website for disposal

http://lamprecycle.org/

There's a section about Recycling Household Lamps
and there's also a section about handling broken flourescent lamps.
They also have an area where you can choose your State and see what the rules are there for disposal.
Some States require that they get thrown out with hazardous household waste. You would have to check with your local government to find out where to drop it off or when they pick up. I can tell you, our little local gov't. does not pick up hazardous household waste so we'll have to find out if the recycling center has a special area.

On a few different websites I've read you need to be EXTREMELY cautious if you happen to break one.
Like NO VACUUM CLEANERS OR BROOMS!!!
Wet paper towels, gloves, tape etc... to pick up the glass etc.
the problem is that the mercury in the bulbs is in a powder form so if you sweep or vacuum it you will be essentially blowing the shit all throughout your house.

I've read the lights are good, they're actually emitting less mercury than what is being produced overall from the power plants.
Then I've read their bad because of the mercury factor being directly in the household.



I'm so fucking confused, .....

[A*FallsInMay]

IMHO, keep getting the CFLs.

The amount of mercury in them is tiny. Less than what's in your watch battery right now and as long as they don't break they aren't posing a risk to your health. It's true that they need to be dealt with as haz waste but they can be recycled (yes even the mercury can be recycled!) so check how your municipality deals with them.

If one does break, check out the epa website below for cleanup guidelines, you would follow the guidelines for "less than a thermometer."

Also, Walmart just announced yesterday their bulb makers are going to be making bulbs with 1/3 less mercury. Woo! (see first link)

I think their overall benefits are worth the risk for me. They reduce my energy bill and cut overall energy needs (which will reduce the use of mercury emitting coal-fired power plants in the long run).

I usually consult Grist.org on these sort of matters. They have a columnist specifically devoted to these types of issues.

Hope that helps! And seriously pgirl, your neighbor sucks. Can you report her?

http://www.grist.org/news/daily/2007/05/11/5/index.html

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2003/01/16/umbra-mercury/index.html

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/06/12/smell/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/faq/spills.htm#less (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/faq/spills.htm#less)

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/07/10/cfl-recycling/index.html

[Highway23]

I have a sprinkler...and haven't used it in a year...it's still in its box.


I'm looking into these new lightbulbs, would be great to be doing some good and saving some money :)

[panthergirl]

... i have actually reported my neighbor twice for the sprinkler issue...
i'm sure she has a maintenence guy who has her sprinklers on timers and she probably has no idea how to use them... that's my theory.



and as for the cfl bulbs.. I am absolutely going to continue using them
i just think of all the people who are going to be throwing them out with their household trash... :para: scary!


I've been trying so hard lately to save energy..
i unplug stuff like the coffee maker (which has a clock on it) and the little chargers we use for phones or cameras and stuff like that because they still draw power when not being used.
If you have certain items on surge protectors, you can just turn off the surge protector when you are going to be away.
And we have celiing fans in almost every room, I have trying to train my family to turn off the fans when they leave the room.

As for water, I have a big plastic pitcher in the second side of my sink which fills while i wait for the water to warm up... i use it to water my plants outside. :glass: