Compact Fluorescent Lights, Mercury, and the Landfill.

摘要

With the cost of energy today and the threat of continued cost increases, everyone is looking for ways to cut energy usage at home and in the workplace. There are many ways to do this without spending money, such as using daylight when possible and turning off lights, radios, televisions, and computers when they are not in use. Consumers can invest in Energy Star- certified products when purchasing new appliances and electronics. Another way to save energy is to replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). CFLs and fluorescent lights are effective alternatives to incandescent bulbs for household, industrial, commercial, and military use in the United States and overseas during contingency operations. These lights have characteristics that are slightly annoying, such as not coming on immediately when their switch is hit; taking time to warm up to full brightness; and being adversely affected by cold temperatures, making them less acceptable for outdoor use. They also need to be properly disposed of at the end of their life cycle. The bulbs should not be thrown in the trash to end up in a landfill, but should be recycled. Aside from these issues, they can save money and electricity because they use approximately 75 percent less energy than equivalent incandescent bulbs. They also last up to 10 times longer and generate less heat when in use.