All the hoopla over incandecent bulbs...

In this message, read all the text beginning at the top. You won't see the connection, but it is definitely there.

Where much of the electricity comes from coal, CFLs actually reduce mercury pollution.

Meanwhile, why hasn't mercury been as big a deal back when 4-foot fluorescents had 80 milligrams of mercury and CFLs now average 3-4?

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)

In most jurisdictions, household fluorescent bulbs can be disposed of in regular trash.

However, where there is need or when there is desire to do better, there is

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)

I'm sure you see a lot of things that aren't there...

Only sometimes true. I have found most non-sylvania non-special-color non-dollar-store spirals 19 watts or less to be quite impressively incandescent-like in the color of their light.

Sylvania ones appear to me a bit harsher-whiter. Then there are "Bright White" (3500K) ones that are somewhat whiter still but still "warm" - and I like those, though though they can clash a bit when mixed with incandescents.

"Daylight" ones are normally an icy cold slightly bluish white, which I think is not good for most indoor home use.

Then there are the dollar store junkers, which I usually have multiple complaints about.

Most get to nearly full light output in less than a minute, often less than half a minute. Outdoor types and any types with outer bulbs over them (whether "outdoor" or not) tend to have greater warmup issues.

How about N:Vision A19 or 40 watt ceiling fan ones? If you want faster warmup and brighter start than ones with outer bulbs, how about regular spirals? If a flood light type's bulb fits, you should be able to screw a spiral in while holding the ballast housing part rather than the tubing.

As many are saying, they often actually reduce mercury pollution by decreasing coal consumption. And why weren't all the 4-footers that schools, hospitals and businesses used so big a problem back when they had

Many in sci.engr.lighting have favored a tax over a ban.

I think closets are where CFLs usually make less sense, due to short ontime and low usage.

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com,

Well, so far, you're the only one here who has not been able to follow the conversation. Step away from the MD 20/20.

High pressure sodium lamps do have Hg, and none have as good color rendering as most CFLs, few have color rendering better than that of the worst dollar store CFLs, and all start dimmer and take longer to warm up than most CFLs, and I have yet to hear of an HPS under 35 watts.

Low pressure sodium has warmup issues as severe as an outdoor CFL on a cold winter day, and the worst color rendering that any common illumination lamp technology ever had.

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)

And where electricity costs more, which has some positive correlation with being other than hydropower, electric heat is used less. So I would say environmental impact and cost percentages of home electricity being from lighting being higher than the total nationwide electricity consumption percentage from lighting.

Of course, I would favor efficiency standards for refrigerators and air conditioners.

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)

?????? Are you saying you don't agree?

It is a big push because it is a tool that actually works are reducing the problem. It certainly is not the whole answer, but add together enough small answers and you may just maybe reduce the problem.

Actually, it's irrelevant. Mercury in landfills will be a more concentrated point source, and therefore a potential threat to nearby communities.

I have seen this figure tossed about, but even after Googling AND Yahooing, I can't find an original (or any approaching) an actual citation. Anyone know where I ca get it, I'd like to see how it was figured.

Wasn't a big deal before we knew it was a big deal and they are now much less mercury? Also CFL average 3-4 mg mercury, but how many more of them would there be if used instead of incandescent and that woudl do what to the TOTAL amount of mercury floating around.

They are not supposed to be. EPA suggests recycling or taking to municipal hazardous materials disposal it at all possible. States may restrict your ability to put these with regular trash. EPA and others also suggest a whole different method of disposal (starting with clearing and sealing the room for 15 minutes while the Hg dissipates) than with regular lights. All revolves around the mercury.

If it's a convection oven, it could very well turn out great.

That's assuming the mercury makes it through the concrete liner of the landfill. AND, you are also assuming the mercury is in a particular form. Not all forms of mercury are toxic.

Possibly, but somehow I seriously doubt the original poster is actually going to try it. Sure would be nice if he did though.

IMO, they don't cook them at all. OTOH, nothing heats a cup of cold coffee as fast.

Kanter, somehow *you* turned a conversation about power plant mercury emissions into a political rant about Dick Cheney. You really should wait to post until after you've sobered up. When you post in this condition, you make even less sense than you usually do.

How come you stopped using your real name on your posts, Kanter? Ashamed?

I seldom say this, but THAT's CRAZY.

OK, there is some potential logic to it, but it really does not hold up.