Light Bulb Initiative

[Rinrada]

Wife buys them ..CFcs in Morrisons (supermarket UK) at 10 pence each and we bring over a case at a time.

Now everyone in the village of Mae Pa Kran (in Mae on ) has one each and the local Wat is like Blackpool pleasure beach on a wet tuesday night. ..

....everyone seems to like them and should get our Pu Yai Bann re elected.....

[katana]

Good move, but I understand there are some issues of disposing of these low wattage high output fluorescent lamps?

You are correct: Mercury, a heavy metal that is linked to birth defects and kidney and brain damage.There's about 5mg in the typical bulb manufactured to EU standards. However, the bulbs found elsewhere are most likely sourced from China and Mexico where standards aren't as stringent as in the EU. 5 mg can contaminate 20,000 liters of water enough to render it unsafe for consumption.

Even the more expensive low-mercury bulbs still have about 1 mg of mercury.

The push for Hg bulbs begs the question as to what Thailand will do with the discarded fluorescent bulbs' mercury. They don't even have an organized hazmat collection, let alone a recycling scheme for batteries. Maybe they can make Thailand the hub of flourescent light?

I think you have no idea how much 5 mg is. 0.005 gram.

In dental amalgam you have 40-50 % Mercury. So if you had 3 gram (which is not much) of amalgam in your life, than this is equivalent to 300 light bulbs.

If you broke some thermometer than this is equivalent to a few hundred more light bulbs.

Dental amalgam has different properties to pure mercury. Not sure you can really compare them.

[nisakiman]

I can't stand these low energy fluorescents. The light they give off is awful, they don't come on immediately, they're bulky and ugly, they're expensive, and if I want to save energy (nothing to do with global warming/climate change/CO2 footprints/impending mini ice age or whatever drivel they're calling it now, but to save on the electric bill) I turn the light out when I leave the room. It's quite easy, really...

Give me a nice crisp, clean, instant incandescant bulb any day.

[brahmburgers]

Even better than changing bulbs is CONSERVATION. Thais are as bad as any on the planet for keeping lights on unnecessarily.

Suggest: ONE PERSON ONE BULB policy. When the sun goes down, how many bulbs does each person need? And do we all need lights around all houses and apartments? If it's for security, heck, if someone wants to break in to a place, they'll figure a way, whether there's artificial light or not.

Ubiquitous 7-11 stores has dozens of AC bulbs going, (plus over-kill AirCon) around the clock. Businesses like that should have a WASTE TAX levied on them, for being so extremely wasteful. And then there are streets with too many bulbs, and business buildings which keep hundreds of bulbs blaring for no good reason. Some of the same businesses probably keep their AirCon running all night when it's empty. Or, like hotels, keep/enable AirCon to go all night when it's not needed. All in all, Thais are extremely wasteful of electricity. So much so, that they get most of their electric from Laos (who are decimating watersheds and relocating villages to provide it). Plus, the same EGAT which is proposing changing light bulbs is also advocating FOUR NUKE PLANTS to be placed along Thailand's coast (of course, they won't say where the proposed sites are).

I can't stand these low energy fluorescents. The light they give off is awful, they don't come on immediately, they're bulky and ugly, they're expensive, and if I want to save energy (nothing to do with global warming/climate change/CO2 footprints/impending mini ice age or whatever drivel they're calling it now, but to save on the electric bill) I turn the light out when I leave the room. It's quite easy, really... Give me a nice crisp, clean, instant incandescant bulb any day.

same for me, I like incandescent light better, but I've changed to fluorescent for the energy saving. I take care of 5 houses (some are rentals), and two are off the grid - instead using solar. They're still in development, but we're gearing up for DC lamps and appliances. Higher initial costs, for sure, but the satisfaction of not using EGAT electricity pulled from Laos (what % is lost transmitting it hundreds of KM?), is somewhat satisfying. Am also looking for kerosene lamps, an even 'warmer' light than electric.

Edited October 1, 2009 by brahmburgers