h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In the UK at the moment, we can't move for being told about low energy lightbulbs.

The gas company has a TV advert saying everyone is getting 2 free low energy light bulbs but I have yet to see mine.

There are government campaigns to tell people about energy saving and some categories of people can get 4 free low energy light bulbs.

There are plans afoot to ban the traditional old style light bulb, so we will all be forced to use the new fangled ones.

I am all for saving energy within reason and do use the low energy light bulbs on replacement of the old ones apart from in my main living room as I just can't see to read or sew. They are supposed to be 100w equivalent but this is just not true.

However, there is also a new rubbish disposal rule that you should not put the low energy light bulbs in the bin, they have that little picture of a crossed out bin to remind us of this.

So when everyone gets low energy light bulbs and they wear out, how will they be disposed of? My council says we have to take them to the tip ourselves and I do not think many people will do this. And even if those with motor cars do, isn't it damaging the planet to drive to the tip to throw away one light bulb.

Are there any sensible schemes to allow the householder to dispose of the things.

the most sensible thing i think is to store them in a cardboard box until you have enough to justify taking them to a waste centre, or are going there for another reason. bear in mind these things do last much, much longer than incandescent bulbs and it will likely take you several years until you have a reasonable number of dead bulbs. if you are community minded you might want to ask your neighbours if they need anything small like bulbs dropped off while you are there.

I do my cross stitch by two energy efficient lightbulbs, however I don't think they can ban the older ones until they make the new ones quicker to turn on. If I need the loo in the middle of the night I don't want to wait even a minute to be able to find the loo! Also by my front door I have a normal light, mainly so if we've forgotten to put on the stairs light we have the other light so we can go straight away. I also have one in my bedroom because my lightshade makes pretty patterns on my bedroom wall and it doesn't work with a CFL. I hardly ever actually use that light though.

If you aren't getting enough light from your main bulbs you may need to try another brand - the cheaper the bulb the 'poorer' the light quality. I use these for places I don't need close work.

I now have so many free lightbulbs I won't need to buy another bulb for about 20 years... Because I already have a housefull, every time they send me the free ones (the council has done it ever so often for years, as well as the energy companies) I don't actually need them. I have six in my cupboard, and I think I have given that many away. I've always chucked them in the bin though (well, all two or three of them in the past decade) - none of mine have a 'no bin' symbol on them, although I checked the new ones I haven't used and they have.

If you need to take them to the recycling centre, are there no other reasons you need to go there to drop stuff off?

as an aside, if you require focussed light, the newer led lights are both energy efficient and very good. a google search should give you local suppliers. these types of lights are not currently very good for ambient or room lighting however.

You also can't use low energy bulbs with a dimmer switch.

They also don't fit in anything with a low top - external lights for example, or wall lights, nor do they fit in globe lights, such as those in the bathroom.

Did anyone else think that as soon as low energy bulbs came out, manufacturers starting using screw in bulbs and ses bulbs ?

you can use lcd lights with dimmer switches. there are also dimmer compatible low energy fluro bulbs. http://www.reallifenews.com/environment/2007/02/low_energy_light_bulbs_for_dim.php

and all my fluro globes go on instantly. i've been using them for about a decade.

Yeah, mine all go on instantly too, but not full brightness.

Also you can get shorter ones now - I've got some in table lamps, and they only stck out a tiny bit now. I have seen shorter ones, but they are the ugly ones.

We changed to energy efficient bulbs a year or two ago in my house. Most have been very good, but the one in the bathroom blew within a week. We haven't disposed of it yet since we have no car.

Does anyone know if this was a fluke, or if low energy light bulbs have a particular problem with the damp? Obviously in an ideal world the bathroom would be properly ventilated, but with student housing there isn't much choice.

I've had them in bathrooms, but mine have all had proper ventilation. They shouldn't be anywhere they would be getting wet. You could try one which is covered in the style of an ordinary bulb.

Also you can ask where you bought them if they will take them back, although usually they will have paid towards collection at the main recycling centre.

i've had the odd one or two go early, so there is a duff rate with them. not nearly as bad as incandescents tho. i imagine they are pumping these out of factories in china at breakneck speed.

I got a couple free from Sainsbury's as were doing their monthly promotion. Not one of these things were they give you a voucher but actually hand them to you as enter door!
I find them not quite as intense as standard bulbs. They save money so that is really all that matters to me to be honest and if the bulbs are free then all the better, mind you you seem to be able to find high quality ones reduced quite a lot of time.

Dear Norris, I've had a low energy bulb on my landing for the past 13 years. Is this a record?

I actually got sent two free bulbs from my electricity company last month!

I got sent some free bulbs too, but the packaging didn't say who they were from

Where do all you people live? I don't get any free light bulbs!

Is it more environmentally-friendly to use up all the old-fashioned lightbulbs that I have, or replace them immediately with low energy ones?

RF

I was wondering that too. It seems that replacing normal bulbs will save you money in long run, the old style bulbs are cheap to buy anyway, but the matter of whether wasting the materials in the old bulbs is better for planet or not is beyond me. But as I said to be honest saving money was my motivation, some of my low energy bulbs being free just made it even better.

too many variables to say. for example, if your energy comes from clean hydro then the eco benefits of reduced domestic consumption are near non existent. clearly there is an environmental cost to the low energy bulbs. in the scheme of things, domestic illumination is a negligible factor in global warming etc.

but if it gets people 'switched on' to thinking about domestic energy consumption then it's probably worth the effort. tho how we get people from 4 watt globes to 1 minute showers is a big question.

There are two big problems with the energy-saving lightbulbs.

1) The reason you shouldn't throw them in the bin - they use dangerous materials in their production, including quicksilver, which can leach into the ground if they're simply dumped. They're hazardous waste!

2) The colour temperature isn't the same. The reason they seem to not be as bright is that while the output lumens are the same, they're missing nearly the entire red spectrum. I have one in my bedroom, and I have red walls - they look dull and grey in that light. That's why you shouldn't put them over the dining table - they make food, especially meat, look unappetising - or by the bathroom mirror, drawing table, or anywhere else you need a natural spectrum for colour matches...

That's why I have mainly 40 Watt incandescent bulbs and a few halogen ones, and will wait to replace them until LED technology is further developed, because LEDs give "good" light.

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