Energy Efficient?

Although my post on my cloth diaper failure may disqualify me as the Green Machine Environmental Queen, I know that I can still make a difference! We read the labels, paid the higher price and loved the idea that we would not need to change light bulbs but every 7 years especially since I aviod having lights on much of the time. After we bought the fancy energy efficient bulbs, we learned so much more! Do you know that these expensive bulbs contain mercury? Do you know that to dispose of them, they have to be taken to a hazardous materials waste sight? Lucky for me, our recycling center accepts them but how many people know that and take them there? Another fearful factor for me is that if they are dangerous to dispose of, what happens when a ball flies across the room, knocking the lamp over, breaking the bulb, and exposing our children to this poison? I cringe when I see our lamp teeter on the table. This is enough to scare me and convince me not to buy the bulbs anymore. BUT I won't have to think about replacing these for 6 or 7 years since we just installed them less than a year ago, right?....

...and then again, maybe not! Heading out to buy some good 'ole cheap, glass bulbs that will not poison my children or the planet my grandchildren will inherit.

Comments

Jen@Scrapingirl said…
I thought of that same thing. Mercury!! Yay! let's all stand in line to willingly bring hazard material into the house. No thanks.
Wendy Blight said…
So thankful you want to join our on-line study!! Can't wait to grow with you in the Lord.

Blessings,

Wendy
Shannon said…
I found you through Jennifer's blog. I did not know these bulbs have mercury!! Just another drawback. I already won't spend another dime on them. #1 I did not see a difference in my electric bill, so I have the theory that it is a scam. #2 You probably won't have to wait 6-7 years, because all of ours have gone out (the squiggly looking ones) within months or well under one year, except the big round ones for the vanity and the candleabra ones. So, #3 on the list will be the mercury. You can get a refund if you have your receipt, etc, but I never had the packaging or the receipt.

So, many things are this way, ya know. We hear how GREAT they are, but people forget to question the bad side. Just yesterday I was discussing the cloth diaper issue and someone told me about "toxins" (dioxin) that supposedly causes cancer.... from a diaper being on a child's rear end... maybe so... maybe not... I want to see the proof.... and then, for me I would think to change other things before focusing on diapers. Like baby food sold in plastic containers. It even smells plastic-like and the taste is different than the jar stuff. What about all the salad dressings, fruit cups, pudding packages, butter containers, ..almost any food you buy is in a plastic container that they are now saying causes cancer. Are we gonna run out and switch all that.... don't beat yourself up about the diaper thing. I mean, really wouldn't it make more sense to focus on the things we are putting inside the body? Uh-hem... and I am not suggesting that you go change all that either. Point is that there are toxins all around us... environmental hazards... Everything has a process and unfortunately most of it has some negative environmental effect or health hazard... if you choose to focus on that. I am choosing not to. :)
Erica said…
Melanie, Hey!!! This is Erica From lParkway. I found you on Whitneys blog!! How are you? I am so glad I found you. Tell Mark hello!

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