There was a lot of buzz recently in the main stream media about CFB’s and how they are the answer to a large portion of pollution related to electricity production.
Whether or not they are a better choice than conventional bulbs in the short run, I can’t say. I have yet to find conclusive evidence that I trust enough to sway me one way or the other. On one side, CFL/B’s do use way less electricity to produce roughly the same amount of light. On the converse side, they do contain small amounts of mercury that could cause problems for future generations.
What I can say from my own experience is that they do have a noticeable impact on electrical consumption. I have only one normal bulb in my house. That one is over the mirror where my wife applies makeup, does her hair, etc. (the older CFL’s didn’t produce real-enough light to show details)
Personally, I have noticed at least a $30/month drop in my electricity bill. Maybe we use lights more than most, but I found that pretty impressive.
The only negatives I have about CFL’s are:
- Older/cheaper ones produce poor light
- They don’t fit into all lamp sockets
- 75 watt CFL’s don’t really equal 75 watt incandescents (get a 100 watt CFL, it still only uses ~24 watts really)
- Small amounts of mercury may cause disposal issues in the future.
For the energy savings and benefit to the reduction of pollution, I advise everyone I can to go get some. At least pick some up the next time you have to buy bulbs anyway.
