From the N.Y. Times, Walmart is trying to get compact fluorescent lamps into least 100 million homes. These bulbs use 75 percent less electricity, last 10 times longer, produce 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and save consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. On the down side, they are eight times as expensive as a normal bulb, give off a harsher light, have a peculiar appearance, and contain mercury, so become a source of pollution when thrown away. They would also rock the lighting industry, as each bulb lasts as long as eight years. Folks would almost certainly lose their jobs.I am almost totally unfamiliar with these products. The wife tells me Home Hardware has been doing a giveaway for the past couple of years where they hand out two of these bulbs and take back the expired ones for recycling. Apparently, people fight over them.
Anyone have any experience with the things?
A couple of friends have gone over to these bulbs, and I have to say the light is not as unpleasant as I would have thought (I'm very light-sensitive and easily irritated by fluorescent lighting). I think they're a good substitute for ambient lighting; I'm not so sure about task lighting.
ReplyDeleteDo they fit into a standard light socket?
ReplyDeleteWhooee! The bulbs fit in a standard socket. We got a few o' them bulbs here an' I can't tell the difference when the lampshade's on.
ReplyDeleteWalMarket's jest provin' they do their market research. North Merkan consumers is wakin' up an' gettin' enviro-conscious. WalMarket sees an opportunity t' profit.
All-in-all, in the long run, over the course of time, when all is sed an' done, green industry an' marketin' will create more jobs than it costs. Those jobs'll be high-tech, better paid jobs. An' they'll be clean jobs where workers don't get poisoned on the job.
WalMarket gets it. They ain't bein' socially motivated an' it ain't because they're concerned 'bout ol' Mother Earth. They see the writin' on the wall an' it sez -- "There's gold in that thar green movement."
I ain't a fan o' WalMarket. That's puttin' it mildly. I'll be buyin' more o' them bulbs but I'll be buyin' from my local hardware store or grocery store. Buyin' local is anuther green practice. I can walk t' them stores an' the profits stay in town.
Canjuns is demandin' better green action from gummint. We needta demand better green action from our own selves, too. Walk more. Ride a bike. Take the streetcar if there's one in yer town. Buy local apples instead o' Florida oranges. Reduce, re-use, recycle. Park the ATV, snowmobile, gas mower, snow blower, dirt bike, SUV. Show the gummint we really mean it an' demand real action.
The ranks o' climate-change-deniers is gettin' smaller. GWB is worryin' 'bout polar bears. Rona's gettin' the axe. Dion came in on a green wave. Lizzie May got 27% an' come in second in London North Centre. The Dippers is tryin' t' look good by helpin' the HarpoonTossers draft a better Clean Air Act. The world's biggest retailer sees green dollar signs.
JimBobby
wanna bet WalMart has a higher margin on these bulbs than the old ones ??
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't shop at Wal-Mart anyways, but good for them for pushing this item.
ReplyDeleteI replaced the hallway light in my apartment about every three months until I put this one in, and it's been close to a year so far. It fit just fine under the horrendous light fixture cover that my building has.
Project Porchlight has been working for a couple of years now to get folks to change at least one light bulb in their home - if we all changed our porch lights, it would have the same effect as removing 60,000 cars from the road. Wal-Mart is late to the game - Giant Tiger and Home Hardware has been giving them away via Porchlight for a while. I don't know about Toronto Hydro, but Ottawa Hydro gives away coupons for CF light bulbs in their bills.
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