Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About CFLs. . . and then some.
Posted on April 17, 2008 by
I just attended an online media preview for illumiNation: CFL Lighting Education for a Better Tomorrow.
Complete with synthesizer music and an overly enthusiastic narrator, illumiNation reminds me of the science videos we watched in grade school back in the day. It’s produced by TCP, a leading producer of CFL bulbs, and feels a little like a super long commercial. But you do get to see how CFL’s are made, which appeals to the part of me that loved it when Mr. Rogers took his camera crew to various factories to teach us all about manufacturing.
I can’t say I loved this film, but there is interesting information included, (especially in the explanation of why older florescent lights caused fatigue and headaches, and why new florescent lighting doesn’t), and it is very thorough. I wanted to mention it, in case you have an interest in learning more about CFLs or are concerned about the mercury content in CFLs.
And, I always like to see people who are excited about what they do. These people are very excited about lightbulbs. A quote from the CEO and Founder:
“We can make your dinner look absolutely wonderful. We can make your face look absolutely beautiful in the morning. That’s what we do.”
You can watch the film on the TCP website and chat live with representatives from TCP at 9AM, 12PM, 3PM, and 6PM (Eastern) on Earth Day, April 22nd.
And don’t forget to change your bulbs to CFLs, the energy savings is incredible, and it’s one of the easiest things you can do to make your life a little greener.
Why not switch to LED’s?
LEDs are a great option. Thanks for bringing that up!
I heard there is an issue or a concern with amounts of mercury in cfls. sigh. not much can just be plain ol’ good for us these days…
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55213
this was one source of info on the mercury
then this was a counter argument saying some of the info was an over reaction
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mercury-fluorescent-lights.shtml
There’s a legal limit for mercury in the lights and it’s much lower than levels in an old school thermometer, or even dental fillings, if I am getting what the film said correctly. It’s not a perfect option, but it is a better option than incandescent bulbs. But, as Amber said, LED bulbs are a great option too.
I think the media tends to spin things as either good or bad, when in reality, most things fall somewhere in between and it’s important to learn more and make informed decisions.
hey allie, not to change the subject, but I am dying to know this instant blemish cure miracle!
Oh yeah! I have to get that up! Thanks for the reminder!
Allie, do you have any info on how to recycle CFLs? Everytime I search for an answer, I always get vague answers or companies that don’t seem to recycle for the lowly consumer. I have a couple dead CFLs sitting around my house waiting on me to figure out what to do with them.