As our demand for energy continuously increases, it is important to start looking for alternatives to our current sources of energy. One quick and easy way to start cutting your individual energy consumption is by switching the incandescent light bulbs in your home to CFLs, or compact fluorescent light bulbs. Not only are CFLs an effective way to reduce your energy consumption, but they also prevent greenhouse gas emissions that are a large contributor to global climate change.
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| CFLs come in many different shapes and sizes, but the effecient technology creates light while using less energy. |
At home, you can notice the benefits of these light bulbs immediately. CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs, last up to ten times longer and can save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime. Although the purchase price of each light bulb is about 3 to 10 times greater than its conventional counter part, the average lifespan of a CFL is 8 to 15 times longer. Using CFLs can also help to reduce cooling costs in your home. They emit about 75 percent less heat than traditional bulbs. About 90 percent of the energy emitted by incandescent bulbs is heat, compared with the 30 percent released by CFLs.
Outside of your home, CFLs also positively impact our environment. The use of less electricity puts less demand on power plants, thus reducing the amount of greenhouse gases, mercury, carbon dioxide and other pollutants released into the air. Every CFL can prevent more than 450 pounds of emissions from a power plant over its lifetime. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with a CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, reduce more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of more than 800,000 cars.
Because CFLs are extremely beneficial at home and in our environment, it is hard to admit that they may pose a hazard. One thing to keep in mind when switching to these light bulbs is that they do contain a small amount of mercury in their tubing. The mercury is essentially what allows them to be so energy efficient-and it only poses a threat if the bulb is broken. It is said that the amount is minimal, about the size of the tip of a pen, but precautions must be taken in the event of one breaking. Below are the clean up and disposal guidelines released by the US EPA:
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| Although the energy efficiency of CFLs make them appealing to environmentalists, trace amounts of mercury contained within CFLs may cause environmental harm if they are not disposed of properly. |
Before Clean-up: Ventilate the Room
1. Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
2. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
4. Carefully scoop up glass fragments 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.
5. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
6. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
7. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug
4. Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
5. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
6. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
7. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
Disposal of Clean-up Materials
8. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash.
9. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
10. Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.
Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Ventilate the Room During and After Vacuuming
11. The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.
12. Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.
The individual and environmental impacts of CFLs are outstanding. The threat of mercury from broken bulbs is minimal. Just make sure to take the necessary precautions when switching your old energy guzzling bulbs to CFLs!
