There seems to be a lot of confusion about compact fluorescent lightbulbs — those twirly lights that we’ve all been browbeaten by environmentalists into installing.
They’re more expensive, though they’ve decreased dramatically in price from the days when my husband bought them at about $10 per bulb. They’re also much better at producing a glow that doesn’t make us all look like we’re battling the flu.
However, CFLs seem to suffer from consistently bad public relations. No sooner does even the most resistant climate skeptic finally concede than headlines blare “CFLs contain mercury!” Um, yes, they do. Which is why you can’t just toss them into the garbage when they (finally) lose their light. But, what the anti-CFL brigade doesn’t mention is that burning coal ALSO releases mercury into our air. A CFL will result in roughly 1.2 mg of mercury entering our atmosphere from coal-fired power plants providing the energy needed; an incandescent will result in 5.8 mg of mercury being released. You don’t need a calculator to figure out that CFLs mean cleaner air.
Another recent scare regarding CFLs is the radiation they ostensibly release – leading to a U.K. warning to not be within 30 cm of a lit CFL for more than one hour.
What is missing from this warning is that it is precautionary – in keeping with the EU’s approach to take steps to prevent health issues. Perhaps the radiation from CFLs warrant this. But to date, there’s no evidence. However, it’s wise advice.
The answer isn’t to stop using CFLs, it’s to use them judiciously.
For more info, visit http://wwf.ca/takeaction/blog.cfm?uNewsID=2440