On Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

I had an interview this week with Santa Fe Public Radio’s Journey Home show (see www.diegoradio.com for the podcast). The bulk of the show, for whatever reason, turned into a referendum on the merits of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). While the host was adamantly pro-CFL and a caller adamantly against, my position is a little more nuanced than I think came across during the broadcast.

Their opposing viewpoints actually illustrate my case for me: the compact fluorescent versus incandescent debate is not over. It continues because it is one on which anybody can offer a reasonably informed opinion. Light bulbs are something we all use and are relatively simple compared to, say, the ecological advantages and commercial viability of biofuels.

I am not against CFLs: they absolutely put out more light than heat and will reduce your electricity bill accordingly. Yet neither am I for them at all cost. My objections are twofold.

First, as with any technological advance, there are some unforeseen kinks that need to be worked out. In the case of CFLs, because of their mercury content, the biggest is the issue of disposal. My radio host asserted that CFLs could be disposed of properly in a sealed landfill, which would include all landfills created in the United States in the past couple of decades. But as the caller pointed out, breaking a CFL in your home poses a contamination problem, especially if you have small children. Furthermore, the landfills in Mexico and various countries of South America where CFLs have been universally adopted are not sealed. This caller believed that CFLs are dangerous.

Second, there is a segment of the population who will proudly swap out their bulbs and pat themselves on the back for being eco-sensitive, yet who will change no other behaviors that would have a greater environmental impact, such as driving less frequently or buying less stuff overall. By making CFLs the poster child for “greening up” your life (along with buying a Prius and shopping at Whole Foods), we give people like this an excuse to quit after a half-hearted effort of limited value.

Until the debate is firmly over, my opinion remains unchanged: the best way to truly consume less energy is to turn your lights off when not using them. It is the fundamental principle of conservation.