Comments on: A Response To Mercury Levels In CFL’s And An Angry Comment. http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/ Sustainability, Environment, Progressive Politics, Peak Oil, Being Green. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:52:10 -0500 hourly 1 By: david http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-5614 david Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:55:18 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/#comment-5614 Yes Douglas, we could be...but the prices are still too much for the regular consumer. I am working on an article about LED lighting I hope to have ready in the next month, so be on the lookout for it. As for CFL's, it is a valid argument that they "emit" less mercury than coal powered plants would if they had to continue to power all incandescents. But LED is the future, for sure, when the prices become more reasonable for the average person. Thanks for the comment! Yes Douglas, we could be…but the prices are still too much for the regular consumer. I am working on an article about LED lighting I hope to have ready in the next month, so be on the lookout for it.

As for CFL’s, it is a valid argument that they “emit” less mercury than coal powered plants would if they had to continue to power all incandescents. But LED is the future, for sure, when the prices become more reasonable for the average person.

Thanks for the comment!

]]> By: Douglas Cliff http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-5613 Douglas Cliff Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:52:18 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/#comment-5613 These toxic time bombs are going to create a problem that we are not going to be able to clean up and will pollute all the water on our planet. I am told that the mercury they are using is less than the amount saved by using less power, i.e. less coal burnt. This is not a valid argument as we could be using Light emitting diodes (LED’s) that have no harmful effects and use much less energy than Cfl’s. Thanks Douglas Cliff These toxic time bombs are going to create a problem that we are not going to be able to clean up and will pollute all the water on our planet.
I am told that the mercury they are using is less than the amount saved by using less power, i.e. less coal burnt.
This is not a valid argument as we could be using Light emitting diodes (LED’s) that have no harmful effects and use much less energy than Cfl’s.
Thanks
Douglas Cliff

]]> By: david http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-5169 david Thu, 13 Sep 2007 21:21:00 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/#comment-5169 Kathryn - It's all something to consider, for sure. We never know. But we do know that A. CFL's last longer, so there is less trash in landfills. B. The amount of mercury in them is a trace amount compared to the amount emitted by coal plants, which we need more of because of our energy use, C. they use less energy, so this goes along with B too. At this point, I think we need to do everything we can to try to contain our energy use, and by making everyone use these bulbs, it would make a difference. Whether or not it affects children or not, I have not seen or heard of a single study saying that today's CFL's have any affect on them, but would be interested in seeing one. As for autism, these bulbs might have an affect on them, but if we build more coal plants because we cannot contain our energy use (using CFL's, etc), we will emit more mercury into the environment, leading to more cases of autism. There is no golden rule! Kathryn – It’s all something to consider, for sure. We never know. But we do know that A. CFL’s last longer, so there is less trash in landfills. B. The amount of mercury in them is a trace amount compared to the amount emitted by coal plants, which we need more of because of our energy use, C. they use less energy, so this goes along with B too.

At this point, I think we need to do everything we can to try to contain our energy use, and by making everyone use these bulbs, it would make a difference. Whether or not it affects children or not, I have not seen or heard of a single study saying that today’s CFL’s have any affect on them, but would be interested in seeing one. As for autism, these bulbs might have an affect on them, but if we build more coal plants because we cannot contain our energy use (using CFL’s, etc), we will emit more mercury into the environment, leading to more cases of autism.

There is no golden rule!

]]> By: Kathryn White http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-5106 Kathryn White Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:42:14 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/03/a-response-to-mercury-levels-in-cfls-and-an-angry-comment/#comment-5106 Sorry - I e-mailed you back but realize I have to use this post. There is a link to autism (does not lead to autism). If you search the internet, you can find that autistic children react poorly / can't tolerate flourescent light from a multiude of sources and studies. I won't give you any here - because Iinvariably it can be critisized - so you all can see for yourself. Let me know if you can't find anything and thanks for helping clarify that point - certainly don't want to suggest it causes autism (because that we don't really know). I have also been told there are theories that flourescent lights can harm developing eyes, but was not able to find hard data / research either for / against. I am assuming that would be hard to prove either way. Just something to consider. Sorry – I e-mailed you back but realize I have to use this post. There is a link to autism (does not lead to autism). If you search the internet, you can find that autistic children react poorly / can’t tolerate flourescent light from a multiude of sources and studies. I won’t give you any here – because Iinvariably it can be critisized – so you all can see for yourself. Let me know if you can’t find anything and thanks for helping clarify that point – certainly don’t want to suggest it causes autism (because that we don’t really know). I have also been told there are theories that flourescent lights can harm developing eyes, but was not able to find hard data / research either for / against. I am assuming that would be hard to prove either way.
Just something to consider.

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