The CFL lightbulbs save energy and curb green- house gas emmissions, so what's not to like? In what promises to be another front in the battle between domestic partners is the placement of these energy-efficient bulbs in the household. Experts on energy consumption call it the "wife test." And one of the dimly lighted truths of the global-warming era is that fluorescent bulbs still seem to be flunking out in most American homes. ( Washington Post)
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Enrique Gili is a freelance writer covering Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS), issues for regional magazines in the Southland and beyond. I live in Ocean Beach, San Diego the coolest beach town around.
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CFLs on the Homefront
Category: Energy • Environment
Posted on: May 2, 2007 11:38 AM, by EJGili
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People don't like them for varoius reasons, some good, some not good. I don't like them because at least some of them burn out much more quickly than they are said to, at least in my experience. And I don't mean when they are placed in enclosed spaces, but when they are out in the air.
Posted by: Mark | May 2, 2007 02:56 PM
In the article, there were several different(?) people who say CFLs "bug them". Rather noticeably, no actual explanation of what that means was given. There is a suggestion it might be referring to an apparently wide-spread obsolete perception of CFLs (early models allegedly flickering, etc.), but that fails the "why are they used so much more elsewhere?" test.
Another suggestion is it was simply the shock of turning on what used to be a space heater and instead of the harsh bright instant glow, seeing the slower warm-up of a CFL. That seems a bit more plausible--the first time. But afterwards? People adapt. It should not continue to be a shock. Furthermore, even if there is an initial lack of communication (i.e., one partner didn't know about it beforehand), people certainly can talk about it afterwards. So I'm not too convinced by this hypothesis either.
So, back to the start: What about CFLs "bug" the people saying that?
Posted by: blf | May 2, 2007 09:13 PM
Given your software experience maybe those people need to be "debugged" in order to get with the program.
Posted by: Enrique | May 2, 2007 09:59 PM
Mark: I can remember some bad experiences, but that was in the bad-old days when CFLs were expensive. I still get a few that burn out
after only a fraction of the advertised (probable?) lifetime, but now that they are cheap it doesn't bother me so much. In fact having found some for approx $1, I've even used them in places where the environment may not be conducive to long-life (bathrooms/outdoors).
Interesting about the difference across the sexes. It had been a long battle in my house, with wife/kids sneaking old incandescents from time to time. But I've finally got them declared "illegal" in my house.
Of course in my house I get in trouble for throwing away anything that might be recyclable, so sensitivity to what constitutes an environmental "crime" is clearly different for different people.
Posted by: bigTom | May 2, 2007 10:37 PM
In my experience they have about 1/3 the expected span of an incandescent bulb, so their claim to go for 5000 hours is a cruel joke.
Posted by: Monado | May 6, 2007 08:11 PM
I have some lamp-shades that clip over the incandescent bulb, and I'm afraid to use that wire clip on a compact fluorescent, which seems too fragile. I use them everywhere they are allowed. But I believe that we're not supposed to be using them in enclosed lamps, and I have a few that are built into the ceiling with enclosing glass bowls.
Posted by: Monado | May 6, 2007 08:16 PM