Energy Efficient Light Bulbs...
They probably have their part to play in the current climate regarding global warming or climate change but from previous entries on my blog you'll know that I agree with trying to save or reduce how much we use the Earth's resources but I still see trends as being natural, it's happened before and it will happen again. One day whatever we do will have no effect whatsoever.
So today British Gas a utility company in the UK has decided to supply all it's customers with four light bulbs for free. I'll use them but I still prefer the old bulbs...they give light immediately you switch the light switch on, they also add heat to the overall temperature of the room they are in(I suppose that will be seen as being not so good)but in Winter it adds to keeping us warm.
The light is generally balanced whereas the new bulbs are strange shapes and that probably means they'll not fit existing sockets as easily so they may may require changing or replacing.
The new light bulbs have to warm up so light is not immediate and if they break or have been used the contents require vacuuming up, the glass being carefully collected and you are supposed to go to the local recycling centre which could be miles away adding to the so called Carbon Footprint and in my case adding to the cost of disposal because it will cost approx £10+ to travel there and back by Taxi.
The new light bulbs contain something that is harmful to Humans and the environment so that's why you have to recycle them which seems strange when we're talking of going green but our Government and the European community in general have started to take traditional electric light bulbs off the market.
Yet the claim is you will save money by using low energy bulbs...if I have to keep paying to get rid of them, I am not saving. If the company keeps raising their prices to supply electric whilst you can argue you are saving money(they say £9 a year per bulb)I have yet to see what the bulbs cost to purchase in the first place, you may still save that cost on your bill but if the prices have gone up you are still paying more so the advantage has been lost.
The brand and type that have been chosen say that they'll last 10 years, assuming we're around to see they last that long and if they don't had I bought them rather than been given them maybe I'd out of pocket as often in my home when a bulb fails it usually happens suddenly with no warning my literally going out as you switch the light switch on.
Our own electricity supplier(Not British Gas)but N Power has announced an increase of 14% for the next quarter on their electricity prices and they've already increased the cost supplying electric already a couple of times this year.
In a bizarre way if climate change offers us milder winters so we can save by not switching on our heating systems perhaps we'll be glad of it.
So today British Gas a utility company in the UK has decided to supply all it's customers with four light bulbs for free. I'll use them but I still prefer the old bulbs...they give light immediately you switch the light switch on, they also add heat to the overall temperature of the room they are in(I suppose that will be seen as being not so good)but in Winter it adds to keeping us warm.
The light is generally balanced whereas the new bulbs are strange shapes and that probably means they'll not fit existing sockets as easily so they may may require changing or replacing.
The new light bulbs have to warm up so light is not immediate and if they break or have been used the contents require vacuuming up, the glass being carefully collected and you are supposed to go to the local recycling centre which could be miles away adding to the so called Carbon Footprint and in my case adding to the cost of disposal because it will cost approx £10+ to travel there and back by Taxi.
The new light bulbs contain something that is harmful to Humans and the environment so that's why you have to recycle them which seems strange when we're talking of going green but our Government and the European community in general have started to take traditional electric light bulbs off the market.
Yet the claim is you will save money by using low energy bulbs...if I have to keep paying to get rid of them, I am not saving. If the company keeps raising their prices to supply electric whilst you can argue you are saving money(they say £9 a year per bulb)I have yet to see what the bulbs cost to purchase in the first place, you may still save that cost on your bill but if the prices have gone up you are still paying more so the advantage has been lost.
The brand and type that have been chosen say that they'll last 10 years, assuming we're around to see they last that long and if they don't had I bought them rather than been given them maybe I'd out of pocket as often in my home when a bulb fails it usually happens suddenly with no warning my literally going out as you switch the light switch on.
Our own electricity supplier(Not British Gas)but N Power has announced an increase of 14% for the next quarter on their electricity prices and they've already increased the cost supplying electric already a couple of times this year.
In a bizarre way if climate change offers us milder winters so we can save by not switching on our heating systems perhaps we'll be glad of it.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 7:27 pm
2 Comments:
I'm not convinced by these new bulbs eithe rGildy - they say they ahve thousands of hours more life but I have two experiences of them: my place in Spain and where my ex and children are in England - in both plces I've replced bulbs that are less than ayear old - pretty much the same as normal - this could mean the wiring isn't up to it but that would be a massive extra cost - some of the ceiling lights also they have these designs that fit flush with the surround/ceiling and they're a bugger to get out - especially for fat-fingered non DIY types liek em who end up breaking the socket within!
I still haven't used them...I will start to build up a stock of the older bulbs initially and delay when I have start using the new type.
These bulbs supplied by British Gas are manufactured by Philips(A good brand)but I did see some general Electric Engery bulbs in Tesco's today(2 in a pack)equivelent of what they say would by 60 watts and they were only £2.
I'll take some convincing.
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