Compact fluorescent lights: Hidden hazard in the eco

“Eco-friendly” fluorescent light bulbs…. are they REALLY that “friendly”?

Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to help prevent global warming from going any further, and that is definitely a good thing. Yes, we all need to do our own part, in some small way, and face the fact that our planet is in trouble. However, you don’t really see governments playing that big of a part in the fight themselves. How could they? It would start a global, economic disaster if they did what they really need to do. Unfortunately, the obvious solutions would put a lot of people out of work, such as car factories (for there are far too many gas

guzzling vehicles on the roads adding to the green house effect). We need to find ways to reduce our dependence on the petroleum industry, however, as we all know, world economy is based on the oil industry. The economies of many countries would come crashing down. Governments would lose their credibility and be toppled if these solutions were implemented.

So, what do governments do to show that they are actually participating in the fight to curb global warming? They attack the dastardly incandescent light bulb! At least this way, they can at least show that they are doing “something”. They inform us that the new bulbs will last ten times what the old incandescent bulbs have. We won’t have to change our light bulbs for the next seven to ten years.

With this small step, there won’t be trillions upon trillions of the incandescent bulbs showing up in the land fills. This way, people won’t be using nearly as much power to light their homes. It all sounds well and good, and something that everyone can do to take part in fighting global warming…. or is it?

I myself, have not jumped on this bandwagon and don’t plan to until there is absolutely no other choice. In fact, I am stocking up on incandescent bulbs. From the very moment they were brought to world attention, I discovered that

these new little fluorescent bulbs contain mercury (not much was mentioned about that fact at the onset). Now, haven’t we been trying to fight mercury for decades already? We have banned its use from all other products because of its harmful effects on the environment and on humans. We’ve been trying to rid our lakes and rivers of it because it had been showing up in the fish we eat. So now we put mercury in these new little light bulbs, telling the public that the traces

are so minute, it doesn’t really have an impact.

MY question from the