Be honest: Have you replaced all the bulbs in your home with "Green" environmentally friendly bulbs?

[ecstatic]

Poll question: Be honest: Have you replaced all the bulbs in your home with "Green" environmentally friendly bulbs?

[Fovea]

1. except the one in the fridge.

n/t

[malaise]

75. Ditto n/t

[Lorien]

93. Yep, the fridge, and two in my studio lamps

which are full spectrum lights that I use to paint by.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Some of our lights use dimmer switches...

There's a great product-to-be...

[Bjornsdotter]

4. Same here

...and we also have a few 3-way lamps.

Cheers

[lligrd]

46. They Make Them For The 3 Way Bulbs Too

I am using them in my 3 way lamps.

[Bjornsdotter]

47. They do?

...I had no clue, Thanks for the heads up!

:toast:

[Canuckistanian]

67. We seem to be way ahead of you in Canada

We've had 3-way, dimmer, chandelier, spotlight/floodlight, "fat albert" and low-temperature bulbs here for YEARS.

We even have them in different colors.

[Bjornsdotter]

133. Hello....

...most of the world is ahead of us. Every time I come back from Sweden I bring various magazines to show people here how far behind we are. It's pitiful.

:toast:

[Extend a Hand]

20. I just found CFL's for dimmers this week at Lowes

They were expensive ($6.87) each so I'm just buying a couple each week.

[Junkdrawer]

24. Cool...n/t

[CitizenLeft]

49. thank you!

I've replaced 3 60-watt and 2 100-watt... I'm getting there. Yes, they're expensive, and I'm broke :) but I'm trying. Dining room and basement are on dimmers. I'll leave those for last!

[Coexist]

104. found them - thank you so much.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=BuyGuide/LightBulbBG.html#4

[Lone_Star_Dem]

110. Did they have dimmable floods that you saw?

I couldn't find them anyplace and ended up ordering them at a cost of $15 each plus shipping.

I took the dimmer off two more just to avoid the expense.

[kysrsoze]

115. Awesome, now they just need to make dimmable recessed floods

We have cans with dimmers all over our house. Can't wait until this is available. Our electric bill will be ridiculously low, but I think I'll have to take out a second mortage for all the new bulbs.

[Coexist]

103. tell me! It now goes from dark to REALLY BRIGHT!! when I hit the light switch

and the ones on the dimmers quietly 'bzzzzz' like office lighting.

[rurallib]

3. Replace them about two years ago

Even in the xmas decorations.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. All but one, in a light fixture I seldom use.

[AlCzervik]

6. almost all of them, Costco had a great deal on them and SMUD gave us an instant rebate.

i got 12 cfls for $6.00 after the instant rebate.

[ecstatic]

13. I could work with that... because online I see 6 going for $35.00

Totally unacceptable for a cheapo like me.

[AlCzervik]

15. SMUD is my electric company and they send out rebates on things from time to time

but this deal was an instant rebate right at the register. Next time i go i'm buying another 12.

[Bozita]

107. Try Home Depot -- $6.97 for a 4-pack of 60w equivalents

Bought them last Wednesday.

[Bozita]

118. or Lowes -- $9.97 for a six-pack of 60w equivalents

Spotted in an ad in the Sunday paper.

[TheUniverse]

7. Yeah they last longer and are better value.

When you look at their lifespan and the smaller effect on the environment they have, there is no reason not to get them.

[EFerrari]

8. Some down, some to go. They give me headaches

so I'm doing it slowly and trying to get used them. It's working okay so far. :)

[tularetom]

9. As they burn out

I replace them. It would be foolish and not economical to throw out perfectly good light incandescent bulbs just to make a statement.

[TheUniverse]

18. Thats what I do.

I just recently bought a house, and I waited until the lightbulbs burned out before I replaced them. I think I still have some original "round" lightbulbs in the basement that aren't replaced yet. I guess I dont go there very often.

[Harper_is_Bush]

10. I've also replaced my parents, given many to friends, and distributed almost 400 in my city...

...to mailboxes as part of an effort to raise awareness and promote action.

[ecstatic]

14. Wow! Good job, but I'm curious... who paid? nt

[Harper_is_Bush]

122. Paid for them myself. Also wrapped them in an information sheet. n/t

[Capn Sunshine]

123. Wow! How do I replace MY parents?

They are both cranky republicans

[Harper_is_Bush]

124. Go over there and say "use these lightbulbs or I will abandon you...

...when you're old".

Or take them down to the swap meet.

[renie408]

11. Every damn one of them. n/t

[Liberal Veteran]

12. Mostly....there are a few exceptions though.

Like dimmers and three way lamps.

[sandnsea]

16. I need 3 bathroom mirror bulbs

The round ones that stick out. They're the last ones I need, they're a bit more spendy than the others. I like them just fine. My daughter replaced all hers too.

Right now though, everybody needs to do the plastic on the windows. It makes a huge difference and is so cheap.

[backscatter712]

63. I found globe CF bulbs at Lowes.

They're a little expensive, but I put them in my bathrooms - they only consume 9 watts each, so six of them use less electricity than a single conventional 60 watt incandescent bulb. And they do look good - the outside is a globe bulb, frosted, and concealed inside is the fluorescent tube. It doesn't look too shabby.

[Digit]

17. 90% of them

Three more require either standing on beds to get to the ceiling fan lights and with my bad knee, I don't want to chance it.
A couple of others are going to need a ladder to get to and someone very flexible!

My porch light, carport light and flood lights have been replaced with efficient bulbs, too.

[Kutjara]

19. You shouldn't replace every bulb.

Compact Fluorescent bulbs use a fair bit of energy when they're first turned on, building up the initial charge necessary to ignite the fluorescent gas in the tube. Once the bulb is lit, it then takes much less energy to keep it burning, compared with an ordinary incandescent bulb. However, if the fluorescent bulb is constantly turned off and on, it will actually draw more power than an equivalent incandescent bulb over time.

So CF bulbs should not be used in places where lighting is only needed for short periods of time, or where the light will be turned on and off frequently. So I wouldn't use them in bathrooms, garages, utility rooms, etc. Until affordable LED bulbs hit the market (next year?), incandescent bulbs are still the best solution for these applications.

Also, as someone pointed out above, CFs shouldn't be used in dimmer or three-way switches. The variations in power can shorten a CF's life dramatically.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Except the ones the old fixtures will not take

[theHandpuppet]

80. Yep, I've had the same problem.

It's obvious that whoever designs these bulbs has never set foot inside an older home.

[KoKo]

22. Replaced many...but like the 3-Way bulbs in some lamps...and

i have a house that uses Colonial kind candle bulbs...and they don't fit in those sockets. But, i'd say half of my house if flourescent and those energy efficient bulbs...in the places where i use most light.

i'm trying...

[burrowowl]

23. Yes but given the age of the electrical

installation and light fixtures most blew out after a few days, one lasted around 3 weeks. The solution is to rewire the whole house and put in new fixtures (along with replacing the plumbing) but it is a rental and the owners are not about to do that, the house is 40+/- years old. Others living in houses this age have reported the same problems. Worried about the fire hazard.

[zabet]

30. The wiring in our old house..

blows anything stronger than a 60 watt bulb. House was
built in 1931. I have replaced some of our bulbs and
have had good luck so far. Still only use 60 watt or less
because of our wiring.

[burrowowl]

34. Porch light rated for 100 W

replaced with a 75 W equivalent still blew. Tried a couple of times, bulb bursted twice. Mercury is in these bulbs, as well as fluorescents. In the old days you had to dispose of fluos at a special place, these places no longer exist in ABQ. So going with incandescent for the time being, would like to save the money, but replacement cost alot with no savings.

:shrug: :cry: :shrug:

[zabet]

40. Regardless of what my

fixtures are rated for (some are not original to the house) the
ancient wiring will blow anything over 60 watts.

[Teaser]

25. wife won't let me do all of them

the ones in the chandelier and the flared lights where the bulb is visible I ain't allowed to touch.

[RB TexLa]

26. Even the floodlight in the back yard.

Silly not to use them. You are just throwing money away if you don't.

edited to add: Forgot we have a chandelier with small old bulbs in it as well.

[Warpy]

27. Some fixtures require incandescents for space reasons

and the oven requires an oven bulb for obvious reasons. The lights I keep on are fluorescents. The incandescents are used only for specific tasks and not frequently.

I started making the switch 11 years ago, more out of laziness and not wanting to climb up on a stepladder to change bulbs every couple of month than for any reduction in the electric bill.

It's worked out well.

[Jamastiene]

28. My plan was to buy 1 pack of 2 cf bulbs a month until they

were all replaced. I am on a small small budget, but I am doing it as I can. I am most of the way there now, but I do have a question about bulbs in those fixtures that have globes/domes over them. I have heard that you are not supposed to use the compact fluorescent bulbs there. Is that true? Does anyone know? Those are all that I have left to replace; 5 fixtures with domes over the bulbs. The zillions of the rest of them have been replaced.

[Bozita]

129. Im using them in domes, globes, and on fan/lights. They run so cool that I use bigger CFLs.

A globe fixture recommends a max of 60w INCANDESCENT bulbs. But a 100w equivalent CFL uses only 24w, and it runs cooler than the same fixture with a 60w incandescent.

More light for less bucks.

[Jamastiene]

134. Thank you.

I have been wondering if I can do that or not. I have been sticking with the CFL equivalent of 60w(13w). Thank you for letting me know you can use them in the dome/globe light fixtures. I can finish up and do them all then. :D

[Lurking Dem]

29. Can't use 'em,

can't go anywhere that uses 'em (without factor 70 sunscreen and special fabric covering everything including my hands and face), can't wait for LEDs to get brighter and cheaper.

[Mojorabbit]

35. I can't use them either

my eye doctor says it is because my eyes try to match their almost imperceptable flickering. I get dizzy and a bit disoriented around them. I have special tinted glasses but they don't help much.

[midlife_mo_Jo]

90. I get disoriented, as well

I feel like I start walking and thinking in circles when under those lights. It's eerie - like I'm some grade "B" horror movie.

[Bluebear]

39. They bring on migraines for me. I can sense a flicker & I am down for the count.

[skids]

44. How long since you tried one...

...older ones had a low flicker rate around 60Hz. Newer ones have flicker rates in the KHz. If you haven't tried one in years, you may want to give one a shot now.

[Bluebear]

62. I definitely will, I want to do what's right but not at the expense of headaches!

Thanks for the tip!

[Lurking Dem]

119. I have lupus and Sjogren's

and the UV from any type of fluorescent makes me brutally ill. I can take about an hour (with sunscreen) and then I start forming lesions on my skin and in my mouth.

[Benhurst]

45. And the LEDs don't have mercury.

[Lurking Dem]

120. Yay to that.

I'll burn candles before I'll use CFLs.

[Beerboy]

31. And a ? in return..why is "Green" in scare quotes?

[Skink]

32. No but the folks that live upstairs moved their plants outside and installed a green light.

whats that about?

[Mr. Blonde]

33. Pretty sure that all that is left is

the laundry room. At least as far as rooms I go in. My roommate might still be on incadescents. But I leave CFLs out for him to use as he needs them as well.

[Glorfindel]

36. I have replaced all the incandescent bulbs, but most of my lights are fluorescent

Only table lamps and the like are incandescent.

[Blue_In_AK]

37. I chose "some but not all,"

because there are still some old-fashioned bulbs in the lights we don't use much, like in the guest room, but all the major ones have been switched out.

[Seedersandleechers]

38. These light bulbs have mercury inside them

How do you plan to dispose of these? How do millions of people plan to dispose of them?

[ecstatic]

41. "The CFL mercury nightmare"

Bridges had the misfortune of breaking a CFL during installation in her daughter's bedroom: It dropped and shattered on the carpeted floor.

Aware that CFLs contain potentially hazardous substances, Bridges called her local Home Depot for advice. The store told her that the CFL contained mercury and that she should call the Poison Control hotline, which in turn directed her to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The DEP sent a specialist to Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom in excess of six times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination of 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter. The DEP specialist recommended that Bridges call an environmental cleanup firm, which reportedly gave her a "low-ball" estimate of US$2,000 to clean up the room. The room then was sealed off with plastic and Bridges began "gathering finances" to pay for the US$2,000 cleaning. Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the cleanup costs because mercury is a pollutant.

Given that the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the average U.S. household is touted as saving as much as US$180 annually in energy costs -- and assuming that Bridges doesn't break any more CFLs -- it will take her more than 11 years to recoup the cleanup costs in the form of energy savings.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=aa7796aa-e4a5-4c06-be84-b62dee548fda

:scared:

[backscatter712]

56. You don't have to call hazmat to clean up a broken CF bulb.

Yes, they have mercury, but the amount is essentially a globule the size of the ball in a ball-point pen.

You do have to take precautions when you clean them - open the windows and air the place out so you're not breathing mercury vapor, use a broom to sweep the pieces of the bulb into a tupperware container, then use paper towels to mop up what little mercury may be on the floor around the break site. Finish by sealing up all the cleaning materials, then dropping them off at a recycling place.

Take a few precautions (google for them, don't take my word for it) and you'll be fine.

Even with the mercury, CF bulbs ARE greener than conventional bulbs - the mercury inside the bulb, even if released, is less than the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere by a coal power plant to generate the electricity to power that conventional bulb.

Edit: More details: http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/08/10/how-to-clean-up-a-broken-compact-fluorescent-light-cfl-bulb/

How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?

EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:

1. Open a window and leave the room (restrict access) for at least 15 minutes.

2. Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner. Wear disposable rubber gloves, if available (do not use your bare hands). Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.

3. Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it. If your state permits you to put used or broken CFLs in the garbage, seal the CFL in two plastic bags and put into the outside trash (if no other disposal or recycling options are available). Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.

4. The first time you vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag once done cleaning the area (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials, in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.

[kestrel91316]

42. CFLs either aren't available for or can't be used in several of my

fixtures, and as a renter I cannot change fixtures......

[SergeyDovlatov]

43. I tried, but it is an uphill battle. My wife is adamantly opposed.

Since they are not dimmable.
Don't turn on immediately.
Degrade with time. Etc.

[LeftyMom]

48. In all of the fixtures where they fit. nt

[slackmaster]

50. I replaced every one I could over 7 years ago

After the summer of rolling blackouts.

[slampoet]

51. CF Bulbs are a Dollar apiece at my local Flea Market. Stop bitching about it and get some.

These ARE 75 watt equiv too.


Who is saying these are too expensive?

[Warren DeMontague]

52. I've replaced 'em all. A little reminder: DON'T THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE.

Like all fluorescent bulbs, they contain mercury.

As someone stated upthread, they're not exactly an environmental godsend, either. Cities and towns need to get much more on the ball about toxics drop-offs... and places that sell them have a responsibility to INFORM people not to just put 'em in the trash.

[NuttyFluffers]

53. the Torche lamp we never use prevents perfect score

9.9 9.8 10 9.9 10 9.2 9.2 ....

hey! damn french and russian collusion between judges!

otherwise we're excellent in this house. mmm, energy savings.... more money for beer....

another good tip is to use an electric kettle. saves on wasteful uses of energy boiling water in a pot, speeds up the process, and keeps it warmer longer.

[AndyTiedye]

58. This is what I did with one of my Torchiere Lamps

I bought a bunch of those cheap torchiere lamps before I realized what power hogs they were.

This is what I did with one of them:

The pole is in sections -- the bottom section makes a nice battery tube for 8 D cells:
So I made it run on D-size NiMH rechargeable batteries. It could run off a 12 volt wall wart
if I wire up a connector for one.



I glued the XR-E's directly to the aluminum reflector with Arctic Alumina.
I cut all 4 corners on all but the most negative of the LEDs because they
are in series.



Currently direct drive, and the LEDs are barely coasting along at 400ma
with a set of partly-charged NiMH's. Obviously room for improvement
here. What sort of controller would work best for this? Continuously
variable would be a big plus.





This torchiere has since been updated with a Fatman controller and 1 more Cree XR-E LED. It is dimmable by means of a 50k audio taper
potentiometer (mounted in the original dimmer hole) connected to the Fatman.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=148472

[Tesha]

89. For everyone else...

Those torchieres that originally shipped with a whopping-
big 300 W quartz-halogen lamp can all be easily down-lamped
to 150 Watts. Not only will you perceive it as nearly as
bright, but you'll save half the electricity and the lamp
will be that much less of a fire hazard if tipped over or
if something falls on it.

Our torchiers (which see very little runtime) have all
been down-lamped in this fashion, but I really like your
LED idea!

Tesha

[pinto]

54. Yes, except outside porch lights.

PG&E runs a subsidized rebate program here - 4 for a buck.

[backscatter712]

55. The vast majority of them.

There are a couple left in my place that are conventional incandescents, but the vast majority of the bulbs in my apartment are now CF bulbs. I just replaced the bathroom mirror bulbs with special CF globe bulbs (Lowes carries them.)

[AndyTiedye]

57. The Ones that Can Be

The outside lights have motion sensors so they are not on much. Fluorescents don't fit in those fixtures.

There are no equivalents for the globe-type lights in the bathroom (and color rendition matters a bit more in there).

Fluorescents don't work well in a refrigerator, due to the temperature.

I don't think they make fluorescent candelabra base lamps.

We have replaced some of the CF's with even more efficient (and greener) LED lamps.
Have a box more of these waiting to be installed when I replace some fixtures.

[dorkulon]

59. Does anyone remember when flourescent bulbs were the devil?

I remember hearing all kinds of stuff about how the light is unnatural and depressing, the flicker can trigger seizures, all kind of stuff.

[backscatter712]

61. I remember. The technology has improved since then.

The color from modern CF bulbs is better and warmer, the ballasts cause the flicker to occur at a very high frequency, rather than the traditional 60 Hz, and I definitely like the effect they have on my electric bill.

[dorkulon]

64. I admit I've been resisting this because the idea of living in "office light"

at my home sounds awful. Not that bad, then?

[backscatter712]

66. No, they're not too shabby.

There are a few differences that take getting used to. When you first turn them on, they come on instantly, but at about half-brightness. It takes about 2-3 minutes for them to warm up and come to full brightness. The color seems OK, doesn't bother me - they use newer phosphor formulations in most CF bulbs that have a warmer color than old-school tube lights. As for flicker, I'm actually sensitive to flicker - for me, I notice it when I use a computer with an old CRT monitor that isn't set to a high enough refresh rate, say 75 Hz or more - I can visibly see the flicker there and it bugs me. Most modern CF bulbs use an electronic ballast with a frequency in the kilohertz range, unlike the older tubes that flicker at 60 Hz with the AC power. I don't see the flicker at all in CF bulbs. You might see them flicker for less than a second when you first turn them on, but after that first second, the flicker stops.

[dorkulon]

70. Good to know. Guess I've got some bulb-shopping to do. nt

[me b zola]

60. every single one.n/t

[napi21]

65. Replaced as many as I could. Many are in ceiling fans and

have that small base. I have ceiling fans in every room but my dining room, which has a beautiful crystal chanelier that wasmy grandmothers and it has the small base bulbs behind the 550 hanging crystals. Everything else in the house has either flourecent bulbs or the newer spiral ones.

[AndyTiedye]

92. I Wonder What a Chandelier Would Look Like Lit by Colored LEDs

[napi21]

99. Chandelier would probably look beautiful, BUT in a dining room

I'm thinking the food might not.

[Skittles]

68. getting there

just got the fan in the bedroom left to do - yes INDEED

[The Inquisitive]

69. almost

i just wait for the old bulb to die, then i replace it.

[JDPriestly]

71. I have replaced as many as I can.

Our house is old. The new bulbs don't fit into all of the fixtures. We love the new ones. Our bill went way, way down since we started using them. We could not believe how much less we paid for energy after changing the bulbs.

[orleans]

72. join the du group at onebillionbulbs.com

http://onebillionbulbs.com/Group/DU

[Solon]

73. Where's the "most" option?

We replaced every bulb, indoor and out, for all "on/off" sockets, the only ones left that are incandescent are the ones in the ceiling fans in the kitchen and living room, a total of about 4 bulbs(we only put two in each), which use dimmer switches. I looked, high and low, for florescent bulbs that can be used with dimmer switches, but I can't find them in my area.

[conscious evolution]

74. I have swapped out with cfl's and low voltage lights in my house.

Some of my lights are not cfl compatible so I have been using 24 volt 30 watt halogen bulbs combined with dimmers.
My line of work is electrical construction in the home remodeling field.Me and the contractors I work with sell energy efficient appliances and lighting to our clients.
So far I have taken 200 kilowatts off the grid in the last year.That is 200 kw that no longer needs to be generated by the power company.

[Sherman A1]

76. Yup,

Changed out 17 bulbs in February and have been pushing same in a couple of LTTE's and in a newsletter that I write for my workplace.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

77. I use them in all of the fixtures that I can use them in. eom

[katmondoo]

78. I hate them, they give me a headache

[theHandpuppet]

79. Your poll question can be misleading

I've replaced the bulbs in every single fixture that can accomodate them. If you live in an older house like I do, you may have many light fixtures which can't accomodate the new, "green" bulbs, which are a bit longer than the old bulbs. I have a deco slip-shade chandlier and wall sconces original to the house and I'd love to use the green bulbs but they won't fit (Too long - I can't squeeze them in. I tried.). Neither do they make those bulbs for enclosed ceiling shades like the ones in our kitchen. I've replaced some of the fixtures to accomodate the new bulbs but I'm not going to toss out an entire houseful of beautiful deco fixtures to change a light bulb. I've compromised by switching to low-wattage bulbs for some of the vintage fixtures. This still doesn't solve the problem in my studio, where I need decent lighting to work. I've yet to find a "green" bulb that emits enough light for studio work. I would also like some eco-friendly bulbs you can use for outdoor lights.

Perhaps it's because I live in a small town where my shopping options are limited, but from what I've seen almost all of the bulbs on the market are designed for new homes and fixtures. Or perhaps these manufacturers think most people just light their homes with table or floor lamps. Whatever the case, whoever designs these things has apparently never set foot inside an older home or they'd know the bulbs they design don't fit many older fixtures.

So my answer is yes, wherever possible. In my home, that covers about 50%.

[sendero]

81. It's not practical..

... to replace "every" bulb. For example, the bulb inside your refrigerator, or bulbs that you want to dim.

I've replaced about 90% of the bulbs in my house, if not more.

[Fox Mulder]

82. No. They give me headaches.

[n2doc]

83. I have, but they don't seem to last long

About 1/3 of them burn out within a few months. These are the larger, spotlight type of bulbs, essentially the kind shown in your pic but with a big glass reflector around it.

[flvegan]

84. Every single one (except the ones I can't)

I have a dining room overhead that uses 6 of those tiny bulbs. I haven't seen CFC replacements yet. However, next month, I'm replacing the fixture with a light/fan combo that WILL take CFC bulbs, which I've already bought for it.

[lonestarnot]

85. I bought some, screwed one in, turned it on, and

the fucking thing blew up, mercury and all, all over the place, and you're supposed to dispose of them like they are a chemical hazard. Well I didn't know that and just threw it out. Don't know what caused it to blow, but I took the rest back and said hugh ugh.

[ecstatic]

95. Do you know what caused it to blow up?

:scared:

[electron_blue]

86. No, I'm still trying to find a brand that will last more than a year.

I've had several burn out in 6 months or less, which I know can't be typical.

[backscatter712]

101. Wiring problem in your house, perhaps?

CF bulbs do have electronics in them, which makes them more vulnerable to power spikes, brownouts & such than normal bulbs. If you have noisy power, or you have bad wiring that's causing power issues, that could be causing the bulbs to fail.

[electron_blue]

125. Yeah, could be. I've had unexplained power problems in the last 5 yrs. I've had the

electric company out several times, plus 2 electricians, plus I tested the outlets myself with a voltmeter (they were fine when I checked). All I could find is that I was using 100W bulbs when I shouldnl't use anything over 60W. The electric company put a 1 week power monitor on my house to test for surges and whatnot and found nothing. Since I got rid of my 100W's I haven't had electrical problems, so maybe that was it. Still... the fluorescents don't last as long as they should. And I don't know what else I could do to test my power.

[NutmegYankee]

114. Are you near the end of the power line?

I know a couple who had the power average about 103-107 volts in their home because they were near the end of the power line on the street. For decades it wasn't a problem, and then with the tech boom, they discovered stuff wouldn't work right, and called the power company. The company ended up tying them into another line.

Check your power.

[karynnj]

87. Some, but not all

I have some that can not be replaced with any existing green bulb. For example, I have a light in the bathroom that is recessed in the ceiling. The distance between the socket and the glass is too small to put the green bulb, which is longer than a standard bulb, in. I'm not going to replace this fixture that uses 1 60 watt bulb. I also have a chandelier in the infrequently used dining room. I don't think their are green bulbs that fit it that can work with the dimmer switch.

Otherwise I switched them all early this year, because I felt I should as I watched every appearance the Kerrys made on their book tour. Yes, I know Gore was mentioning these earlier. It's just that I felt I would be a hypocrite posting links and comments on the Kerry appearances if I didn't. (I also was pushed by THK's chapter on toxins to look for and us "green" paint when repainting a room and some wall ways - this was a good experience as it did not have the typical nauseating paint smell. I switched to non-toxic cleaning products as well. These changes affect the environment as well - though not global warming.)

[Tesha]

88. Every bulb that makes economic sense.

We've replaced every bulb that makes economic sense.

By that, I mean:

o Every bulb that is routinely used *AND*
is run for more than a minute or two at
time and for which a usable CFL replacement
was available.


Examples of lamps we haven'et replaced yet:

o Closet lamps -- the run time is too short;
In the time between switch-on and switch-off,
CFLs wouldn't even get bright, and the run
time is often less than a minute. Based on
how often these lamps burn out (never),
their aggregate runtime is probably just
an hour or two per year; CFLs wouldn't
last any longer and wouldn't pay back ever,
either in cost or ecological expense.

o Some hall lamps that run longer than the
closet lamps, but not by much. These are
now all converted to slightly-more-efficient
quartz halogen lamps, but may end up as
CFLs.

o The lamp in the kitchen over the island.
Won't take a CFL form-factor lamp.

o The mirror lamps at the bathroom mirror
and my vanity table. These are not the
main room lights (which are CFL) so they
also get short run time, plus these are
the two places I really want good color
rendering (plus fast turn-on).

o The fridge. Minutes per year.

o A few lamps on dimmers, but as soon as I
see a good source for dimmable CFLs, they're
history too.

Tesha

[Nihil]

91. Re quartz halogen lamps ...

> Some hall lamps that run longer than the
> closet lamps, but not by much. These are
> now all converted to slightly-more-efficient
> quartz halogen lamps, but may end up as CFLs.

FYI, we had a bunch of the quartz halogen ones and I've found
LED lamps with the same fittings so they are simple to swap.
They are marginally less bright but much more efficient, last
longer and - important for the kids - are a hell of a lot cooler
than the halogens!

Hope this helps!
:hi:

[Tesha]

98. We're looking forward to LED lamps and keep our eye on the market.

But LEDs still have pretty awful color rendering.

Tesha

[mod mom]

94. We also use low voltage throughout and put in a LED (the next generation of

efficient lighting) in our family room (it was expensive as we bought the sustem when it first came out.) I am replacing my christmas lights with LED as well. (NOTE: PHILLIPS BLUE LED CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ARE SPECTACULAR!)

[seemunkee]

96. Haven't replaced the flood lights or candelabra bulbs yet

I was not impressed with the floods that I bought and will probably end up getting LED bulbs. I've only found one candelabra sized bulb and it was ugly and very dim.

[madokie]

97. 18 so far with about half a dozen to go

which will require replacing the fixtures too and they are lights that are very seldom used in fact a couple haven't been on since I checked the circuits a couple three years ago.
We see a 20 buck or so saving each month on our bill too which has already repaid us for our original outlay. One of the things I like in the bath room and kitchen is the fact the cfl's don't light up full brightness instantly like incandescents do, gives the tired ole eyes a moment to adjust. ;-)

splchk

[supernova]

100. Replaced all but the cooktop hood

I haven't seen any LEDs for that yet.

[MissB]

102. All that I can. I ordered some exterior porch lights a few weeks ago

from Rejuvenation.com, and they're now offering to wire the fixtures to take a two-pronged CFL bulb. Their premise is that eventually LED bulbs will be available for use in the fixtures. They are even selling them at 30% off, which makes them cheaper than the conventional bulb fixtures.

[knight_of_the_star]

105. Only ones I haven't

Are in a ceiling candelabra thing because the CFLs don't fit in the sockets there, in the desk lamps that came with the dorm for the same reason, and in the fridge.

[Cleita]

106. Yes, on the lights and lamp fixtures that I use all the time.

The rest of them are seldom turned on and some are speciality so the "green" bulbs don't fit.

[TrogL]

108. I couldn't do the back porch light

The bulbs don't work at -40.

[RainDog]

109. About 15 years ago

I spent about 15.00 for a lightbulb for my front porch light. I just replaced it last year. These lights are not simply the flourescents in packs. I haven't seen them for sale anywhere recently, but they are GREAT for places where you don't want to replace the bulb for years, like stairs, high ceilings, etc.

14 years for one light bulb. not a bad return for my 15.00 back then.

how I have the cheaper florescents in most all of my lights, and as bulbs burn out I am replacing them with the new ones.

since I have kids, I wish I could install motion sensors in all the rooms in my house so that lights go off if no one is in the room. over the years, I bet that would pay for itself ten times over!! as it is, I just constantly remind them and more times than not they remember because they don't want to hear me tell them or make them get up from bed and turn off lights, etc.

[Union Label]

111. Sorry but no

And I dont think I will anytime soon as I have a couple of hundred of the old style still to use. And I think they may outlast me.

[chaska]

112. USE YOUR INCANDESCENTS (only in the winter) TO HELP HEAT YOUR HOUSE....

Throwing them away before they are at the end of their useful life is in no way green.

Incandescents produce a lot of heat and are therefore useful for heating in the winter time.

[againes654]

113. Some but not all

they are expensive, and the ones I have seem to burn out much faster. I am going to stick with them though.

[mulsh]

116. I am replacing the incandescent bulbs as they burn out. So far

All of the lights in our living room and dining room have been replace. the bedside lights in our bedroom. the over head lights will be burning out pretty soon & they'll get green lights. If anyone knows if some one is make 1- 5 watt green bulb that will replace the bulb in Fender amplifiers please let me know. Also the light bulb in our address is impossible to replace. if anyone know if come company is making green 1/4 watt bulbs that are compatible with a circa 1920 light fixture please let me know too.

oh I also don't drive. I walk ride a bike, use public transportation or carpool everywhere. just to show how insanely committed I am to all this I only use mechanical pencils and fountain pens. And I very rarely brag or argue about any of the above.

[aroach]

117. All but one

I answered every single one but honestly I haven't gotten around to the one fixture on a dimmer switch yet. When we replaced all of them, they did not yet make compact fluorescents for dimmer switches. I know they do know so I better get that last one done.

I have them everywhere else - even in the outdoor lights.

[MindPilot]

121. Almost all.

I haven't yet found a CFL that can match the small size, color and light output of the 300-watt halogen worklights I use in my shop.

Other than that, pretty much everything is CFL or conventional flourecent. I still have some fixtures to replace bfeore I can install the CFLs.

[crispini]

126. All but the dimmer bulbs and the three ways

and I'll keep my eyes out for those.... I haven't seen them yet but folks here are assuring me they exist! :D

[tnlefty]

127. We replaced the indoor bulbs 2 yrs. ago, and we have the bulbs to

replace the out door bulbs (which aren't turned on very often) as they burn out! :hi:

[Kerrytravelers]

128. When the current bulb stops working, we replace it with a green bulb.

[bobbolink]

130. Poor people don't have the same options.

Wouldn't it be really nice if "green" people lobbied for getting offsets to include buying lightbulbs for people who can't afford it?????

Wouldn't that be the "liberal" thing to do?

[Art_from_Ark]

131. My house is pretty damned energy efficient as it is

Whenever a light bulb burns out, we always replace it with the latest high-tech version.

[tammywammy]

132. I haven't replaced any blubs yet

When I moved into this house they had all regular blubs. And none have gone out since I moved in back in July. But since it's all old wiring in the house, the house is 50+ years old, I don't know how well they'll do.

[radfringe]

135. replaced all that we use daily/frequently

infrequent ones - will be replaced when they burn out

These are in the livingroom ceiling fan as we rarely use the livingroom except for very infrequent times when we have visitors. End table lamp bulb has been replaced.

Side porch - switch is busted, no sense in replacing bulb until we replace the switch

2 wall lights in hallway - maybe use them for about 5 minutes or less once every two weeks

cellar - 3 lights there on the list to be replaced

bathroom medicine cabinet lights - also on the list

Kitchen, den, bedroom, back porch lights which we use everyday have all been replaced

Our electric rates went up this past January, we switch the bulbs we use daily and found while our CONSUMPTION went down significantly that even with the rate increase our electric bill stayed the same.