Leave a light on

The last factory in the US to make incandescent light bulbs closed last month; that’s technology that can be traced back to Thomas Edison.

Sadly, I think we’ve jumped too quickly.

Light Bulbs

The heavy metals contained in the Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs have the potential for major ecological problems when they are (inevitably) disposed of with the normal rubbish, thus allowing shedloads of Mercury and other unsavoury elements into the water table and thus the food chain.

I suspect that LED technology will be the most effective in the long run, but of course the CFL bulbs have such long lives that it will take longer for LED bulbs to hit the economies of scale that will make them affordable.

Ah well, one step forwards, two steps back.

Posted in diary.

One Comment

  1. I agree completely. No to mention the negative effects fluorescent light has on beer! I wouldn’t worry too much though. I’m sure that light bulb factory will spring up in China someplace!

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