I hate the new energy saving bulbs. Many of ours have already needed replacing, and they sure aren’t seven years old. Not to mention how expensive they are for a bulb that is not lasting as long as it is supposed to. Perhaps the bulbs with mercury in them are the ones that should be banned.

Just bought an LED bulb to try them out. Very nice colour, no flickering, no toxic chemicals, etc. Only barrier is the price.

You got seven years out of a CFL bulb? I’m lucky if they last me a year. I’m stocking up on incandescent bulbs; I like to be able to see.

I just chuck mine in the garbage, mercury and all. If they want me to recycle them, they’ll have to make them recyclable at the place of purchase. It doesn’t save anything if I have to make a 40 minute round trip just to dispose of my bulbs.

My CFL bulbs are lasting quite nicely. I don’t like the out-and-out ban on incandescents because I have some fixtures the CFLs don’t fit and because there are a few uses for incandescents for which CFLs are not suitable (applications where they are used for heat, e.g. poultry incubators and reptile cages, and laboratories in which you don’t want all the RF energy emitted by fluorescents), but for ordinary lighting I’m pretty happy with CFLs. LEDs will be better, though.

no problem with my CFL bulbs at all, lasting WAY longer than old style bulbs, well worth the cost.

I have my 120 plus incandescent bulbs hoarded. 60s and 100s. I’m good.

No, I meant they are not seven years old and are already burnt out. Isn’t that what they advertise? They will last seven years?

Curmudgeon if you think LED lights are not toxic well they could be more toxic than CFL’s. Go here. http://www.gizmag.com/led-bulbs-found-to-contain-toxic-metals/17876/

Also do a search led toxic.

Being green can be dangerous to your health.

Not to mention the CFL’s also use more CO2 over their life time when one considers the manufacturing process… but that doesn’t count on the efficiency meter as they are all built in China where energy efficiency doesn’t count. The efficiency only counts once its been exported from China.

For me the CFL’s give me a headache… I know someone that even thinks they brought on their bi-polar complications… it wouldn’t surprise me one bit the dim flickering light can’t be good at all. I too horded a pile of incandescent… I have no problem with the heat energy they put off in the winter months.

Here are some good stats on mercury in incandescnt vs CFl bulbs.
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf
and here is an overall comparison of all three: http://www.designrecycleinc.com/led%20comp%20chart.html
It doesn’t mention nickel or lead, but i would rather those metals that vapourized mecury.

I stocked up well on incandescent lights when they were phasing them out.

And every time I’m out of province, I make sure they are on my shopping list.

@ StellaBella “no problem with my CFL bulbs at all, lasting WAY longer than old style bulbs, well worth the cost.”

Yeah, but just wait until you actually start using them. :-)

It’s not how long a bulb lasts. It’s how long it shines.