The Latest News On Energy Saving Light Bulbs...
Now, everyone stop!
A programme on BBC Radio 4 last night aimed at those with sight problems talked with people who fear the use of the new bulbs and they talked to someone who represents people with eyesight problems and someone from the big manufacturer Osram and there was an admission that the new bulbs are not as they should be as yet.
However, an alternative was mentioned...Halogen. It appears that these will be more readily available, these lamps will be brighter, they will improve so that they fit more sockets. They will still be energy efficient(not as much as the other kind)
Also, halogen bulbs will give full colour spectrum and you will have light as soon as you switch them on rather than waiting for them to come on gradually...they can be used in dimmer switches too.
The popular energy bulbs being pushed offer a defused fluorescent light and are more harmful to the environment when you have to throw them out as they have mercury as an ingredient and you are supposed to take them to a recycling point and if they break in the home they are a health hazard which again does not seem a problem with halogen. It can be argued that the hazard is small and not as bad as some newspaper articles have suggested.
Considering the campaigns about health issues and how we should eat and exercise with adverts on tv or in the newspapers and leaflets being produced with information through our letterboxes they should probably done a similar promotion over these bulbs telling the positive and negatives about them and mentioning the alternatives. If only dispel the myths.
Why has the government, the trade and EU not told the public this more than they have...I have been purchasing some of the new energy saving bulbs but I will be looking into this further. Even if it means the bulbs I have purchased already are never used.
For now prices are a little more expensive(but it is said this will reduce as they become more popular but without a big publicity campaign to promote halogen this could take time)It worries charities that people who need the halogen bulbs more may be on benefit and to replace all the bulbs in the home could find the extra expense difficult. I have no idea how they rate in comparison regarding the claim that energy efficient light bulbs last longer than traditional bulbs so am unsure if halogen bulbs last longer. But they do seem to offer an energy saving of approx 35%.
So look for halogen instead as an alternative. I must add as an after thought another alternative that was mentioned and I have just remembered was LED lights.
Update:Take a look at this.
Great bright hope to end battle of the light bulbs
The only problem is that sockets will definitely need changing and fancy lights won't look good but if you just want a decent light this could be the answer. The story may have to be taken like many other technology one's with caution. Having heard the scientist interviewed on the radio at luchtime it seems this is one technology story that will fly...and they could be in production and they could be available within 2-5 years as long as people can hang on that long and they have not changed their light fittings by then. Perhaps the should've delayed the introduction of the new energy saving bulbs awhile longer. He also added that they could make them to offer similar light as daylight so colours will be natural.
Parallel research is also being carried out into how GaN lights could mimic sunlight to help 3m people in the UK with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Light work
There are many articles on this story(often duplicating text)but hopefully the last link is a slightly different take looking more at the material being used and how these lights may have other benefits healthwise.
A programme on BBC Radio 4 last night aimed at those with sight problems talked with people who fear the use of the new bulbs and they talked to someone who represents people with eyesight problems and someone from the big manufacturer Osram and there was an admission that the new bulbs are not as they should be as yet.
However, an alternative was mentioned...Halogen. It appears that these will be more readily available, these lamps will be brighter, they will improve so that they fit more sockets. They will still be energy efficient(not as much as the other kind)
Also, halogen bulbs will give full colour spectrum and you will have light as soon as you switch them on rather than waiting for them to come on gradually...they can be used in dimmer switches too.
The popular energy bulbs being pushed offer a defused fluorescent light and are more harmful to the environment when you have to throw them out as they have mercury as an ingredient and you are supposed to take them to a recycling point and if they break in the home they are a health hazard which again does not seem a problem with halogen. It can be argued that the hazard is small and not as bad as some newspaper articles have suggested.
Considering the campaigns about health issues and how we should eat and exercise with adverts on tv or in the newspapers and leaflets being produced with information through our letterboxes they should probably done a similar promotion over these bulbs telling the positive and negatives about them and mentioning the alternatives. If only dispel the myths.
Why has the government, the trade and EU not told the public this more than they have...I have been purchasing some of the new energy saving bulbs but I will be looking into this further. Even if it means the bulbs I have purchased already are never used.
For now prices are a little more expensive(but it is said this will reduce as they become more popular but without a big publicity campaign to promote halogen this could take time)It worries charities that people who need the halogen bulbs more may be on benefit and to replace all the bulbs in the home could find the extra expense difficult. I have no idea how they rate in comparison regarding the claim that energy efficient light bulbs last longer than traditional bulbs so am unsure if halogen bulbs last longer. But they do seem to offer an energy saving of approx 35%.
So look for halogen instead as an alternative. I must add as an after thought another alternative that was mentioned and I have just remembered was LED lights.
Update:Take a look at this.
Great bright hope to end battle of the light bulbs
The only problem is that sockets will definitely need changing and fancy lights won't look good but if you just want a decent light this could be the answer. The story may have to be taken like many other technology one's with caution. Having heard the scientist interviewed on the radio at luchtime it seems this is one technology story that will fly...and they could be in production and they could be available within 2-5 years as long as people can hang on that long and they have not changed their light fittings by then. Perhaps the should've delayed the introduction of the new energy saving bulbs awhile longer. He also added that they could make them to offer similar light as daylight so colours will be natural.
Parallel research is also being carried out into how GaN lights could mimic sunlight to help 3m people in the UK with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Light work
There are many articles on this story(often duplicating text)but hopefully the last link is a slightly different take looking more at the material being used and how these lights may have other benefits healthwise.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 10:06 am
3 Comments:
That LED in your update looks and sounds excellent Gildy...more efficient and last 60 years!
tha 2nd link needs sorting. There is another cure for SAD, it's called money.
Thanks Span...I found a different link to a similar article...I hope...
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