A Good Idea That Will Backfire ( a rant)
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
United States
June 4, 2011 3:21pm CST
I read that in 2012 , one will not b able to buy regular 100 watt lightbulbs here in the U.S. One will either have to buy CPL or Halegen or another type. All of them are more expensive And CPL has mercury in it and Must be handled with care if it breaks. It can;t be just thrown away. Now I know this idea was meant to save energy But... Americans Either can't afford the much higher price will resort to using candles, I fire hazzard. Or The ones who Can afford thes new bulbs will treat them Just like the old ones, i.e. if id breaks they will just sweep them up and throw them in the trash! So they will risk mercury poisoning. It is so sad the officials assume so much when they make up these laws. I have a feeling this is a class action suit Waiting to happen. Your thoughts.
1 person likes this
11 responses
@kris182_2000 (5475)
• Canada
4 Jun 11
I love the CFL bulbs and can find them in the dollar store, so it's not that expensive really.
I have dealt with mercury poisoning in the past when I broke a bulb, my reaction wasn't that bad, but I did feel woozy when it happened.
If you can find them cheap, then they're worth it. It helps us to save energy especially when you have to pay your own hydro bills.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
I don't used 100 watt. I have time It is by 2014 my bulbs disappear but I Think by that time There will be a class action suit because a family with children got mercury poisoning! But then again , this is America! If the government won't sell the regular bulbs , the black market Will!
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
The person who passed this Don't know . People can't afford these new bulbs and most won't recycle the bulbs. They are just going to throw them away.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Jun 11
hi Sarahruthbeth I really have no prob lem with the curly screwy bulbs as they were I am at here in california are not that expensive and they are amazing in how long they last.The primary cost is overcome by the years that they last. I have no problem also with dealing with their disposal. Also I would never resort to using c andles. thats really silly
and dangerous.this american has one of those odd screwy bulbs in her lamp and its lasted three years so far so what is all that about expense?
1 person likes this
@smacksman (6053)
•
5 Jun 11
The old tungsten bulbs could be made to last years as well but they were designed to go pop early to sell more bulbs. Designed obselescence.
It won't be long before they do the same with the 'curly screwey' bulbs. No manufacturer wants products that last too long.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
If you can't afford the 8.50, And need to see , You Will resort to candles! The regular bulbs I use last about 6 months. thankfully I don't need a 100 watt bulb. I have time to hord all the 40 watt by 2014.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
5 Jun 11
You are right. I think it is going to be tough if people aren't given the choice. I had to buy mine a few at a time for my house. They are supposed to last seven years I think. As far as the disposal..I don't think there was anything on the box that instructed it. Hmm. I don't have the mercury though..but still.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
And even if it were on the package , many won't read it! It is a disaster waiting to happen.
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
16 Jun 11
Thats the way they do things. Backwards. Again, there goes corporate America again, money hungry. We do not live in a free country, we live in a country run by big business. We are merely slaves. Look, I have nothing against modern technology or moving forward, but I agree with what you wrote. Why would the make available a product that poses a danger. If we were truly moving forward, there would be a safe product.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Jun 11
Safe And cheap. They don't know it but this going to Cost more money. People who can't afford the bulbs will use candles and candles will cause more fires , and then there will be more homeless that need more help from the government. But they don't see this. If you are correct that we are all slaves Our masters will soon need more money to keep us. They are taking jobs away and raising prices. The very rich pay very little so soon all of us will either be in jail or in debt. that's ok because it will All come back to the rich business man.the chickens will come back to roost.
@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
5 Jun 11
I have no idea what CPL is.Why is using regular 100watt lightbulbs prohibited there? Why isn't It 60 watt or 40 watt ?I don't know whether they do so for environmental protection or make profit .
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
Both. They were told this will save energy but they forgot to figure in the American public. Only half of us recycle. So all these dangerous bulbs Will end up in landfills. they are phasing the regular bulb out. They think this will be better but I think many Americans will go look for the regular bulbs and see only the expensive ones , leave them in the store and go for candles.There will be protests and I know A black market will pop up too. the government Should know by now that if the America Public Wants something and the market doesn't have it, the black market Will offer it.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
4 Jun 11
This is just one more example of the government doing something to solve a problem only to create several more. The plant that made the old bulbs was shut down and moved to China where they will now make the bulbs for the rest of the world. I also heard that because of environmental and safety (Government) regulations most of the CFL bulbs will be made in China.
In my area we use lights out side to see in the winter and I have to turn on the CFL when I leave (to go shopping) so that by the time I return home they will be right enough to see by to unload the car. It takes more energy to start up and run the CLF if you are going to use it foe less than 15 minutes. When I step into the closet to get dressed in the morning (about 10 minutes) I will be using more energy than the old bulbs. So much for energy savings.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
There are going to be protests. And A class action suit.
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
4 Jun 11
I couldn't agree more. There are just enough apathetic people out there, that the consequences just won't matter.
1 person likes this
@smacksman (6053)
•
5 Jun 11
Well we have all been conned into this man made global warming nonsense so we had better get used to living with the consequences. Just wait, a few years on and you will have to get used to power rationing so by the time the curly bulb has warmed up enought to see, the power will swith off! haha
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
5 Jun 11
And being America, There will be a black market for the regular bulbs. I am not so use now, I remembered how Prohibition went. The wiseguys Will just get into the light bulbs business!
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
6 Jun 11
People better stock up on the soon to be old bulbs!
Anyway I think we should be taking those new bulbs to some place they can be recyled or proberly dispose of. Not everyone is going to do that,with the new bulbs! When things like this happen the people who think they are doing the right thing aren't! They never fully plan things out! So what is New?
Anyway I think we should be taking those new bulbs to some place they can be recyled or proberly dispose of. Not everyone is going to do that,with the new bulbs! When things like this happen the people who think they are doing the right thing aren't! They never fully plan things out! So what is New?1 person likes this
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
10 Jun 11
I also have CPL or Halogeb bulbs in the house, but my question is, how come they just last as long as the regular bulbs?
So, instead of saving energy with these new bulbs, I only have more expensive bulbs, which last as long as the regular ones, but is more trouble some to dispose when they break.
