Rethinking the CFL February 15, 2009

Less than brilliant, but oh-so-21st-century!

As an environmental science major at Texas State University, I get exposed to a lot of “green” ideas: composting, geothermal heating techniques, and solar energy, for example. Most of what I learn has been enlightening and informative. So when everyone in the department began raving about the importance of replacing traditional, incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, I went along with it. After all, the benefits seemed obvious. Sure, a box of those cute little twirly bulbs was several times more expensive than a package of regular light bulbs, but by switching, I could save myself $43.80 per year in energy costs. It was printed right there on the box. It made good financial sense. Beyond that, I could console myself with the knowledge that my light fixtures were responsible for less toxic ick in the atmosphere; CFLs use less electricity, which means the power plants were generating less pollution on my behalf.

Since the introduction of the CFL, I have invested in about seven of them. So far, I haven’t noticed any significant decrease in my electricity bill. Maybe that’s because I was already in the habit of turning off lights that I wasn’t using. But, what is more disappointing to me is that I don’t like the light they produce. The first time I installed a CFL and turned on the lamp, I was instantly disheartened. The cozy reading nook which had once been bathed in tranquil, amber light was now awash in glaring sterility. Soothing? No. Relaxing? No. It felt like a reading nook at a doctor’s office, like there should be a shabby pile of out-of-date bass fishing magazines and tattered Highlights for Kids piled up beside the chair. But did I unscrew the bulb and re-install the faithful, chubby little incandescent bulb which had been doing me right for months? No. I didn’t. I sighed, and resigned myself to my inferior lighting situation for the sake of the environment.

But now that I’ve been reading about it, I’m pretty sure that CFLs are the opposite of good for the environment, because there’s mercury-a known neurotoxin-inside them. Ever broken a light bulb? Yeah, me too. What are you supposed to do if you break a light bulb full of poison? The packages I’ve purchased don’t say. But the EPA says to leave the room for fifteen minutes, turn off your AC or heating system, open a window, and forbid anyone from walking through the contaminated area. Then, you’re supposed to “Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.”

I see CFLs all the time now. And I have to wonder: How many people know that if they break one, they’ve suddenly got a little haz-mat situation on their hands? This begs the question, what are you supposed to do with the CFLs that expire? It is inadvisable to throw them into the garbage because of the mercury in them, which has the potential to leach into groundwater, or somewhere else mercury shouldn’t be. TCEQ says that it’s legal to dispose of CFLs in household trash (the agency recommends sealing them in a plastic bag first) if there isn’t a place to recycle them locally, but that doesn’t make me feel good.  Some stores, such a Home Depot, offer CFL recycling drop-off centers. But how many people are really going to make a special trip in their already-busy schedules to drop off a few old light bulbs at a recycling center? It’s hard enough getting people to recycle aluminum cans and paper.

I’m not against innovation. And I’m definitely not against reducing energy consumption. But this is one environmentalist who cannot advocate the substitution of sketchy innovation in place of easy-implemented lifestyle changes, like turning off the lights in empty rooms, and powering down computers at the end of a day. Emissions from power plants are a nasty problem, and I know- there’s mercury in those, too. But why hasn’t there been a big campaign to get people to reduce their energy consumption? I’ll tell you why.

Dolla dolla bills, y’all.