Honestly now: who has low-energy bulbs, and how many? Poll

[West is Best]

It is estimated that 16 billion tons of carbon would be prevented from being added to the world's atmosphere over the next 25 years if we all changed to low-energy bulbs. Yet, polls suggest a stark contrast between what we say we do about stopping AGW, and what we actually do. So here's the first of what may be several polls (!) to test how we perform on NW! No need for any embarassment ... it's anonymous, but interesting!

[Mondy]

Well, you asked for honesty so i've clicked the last option.

One little point. Is it not a bit fruitless if i were to use low energy bulbs considering 24hr supermarkets and petrol stations are hardly doing their "doing bit". Just think of the megawatts, in total, places like those use.

[Admiral_Bobski]

I can honestly say that over half the bulbs in my house are low-energy, and I'll tell you why - they use up less electricity and they last longer, so they end up costing me far less. Practical reasons, which are exactly the reasons I have given for switching to non-polluting forms of energy. Just because you use low-energy bulbs doesn't mean you believe in AGW! Having said that, I look forward to your future polls...

C-Bob

[Roo]

We've gradually replaced all ours as they broke. Helped by the fact that Morrisons had a very cheap offer on!

It is disheartening that so much energy is lost that we can't do anything about, but I guess I try to do what I can, within reason.

[West is Best]

Well, you asked for honesty so i've clicked the last option.

One little point. Is it not a bit fruitless if i were to use low energy bulbs considering 24hr supermarkets and petrol stations are hardly doing their "doing bit". Just think of the megawatts, in total, places like those use.

Don't worry ... that's the next poll after this one! Let's start at home, before we begin tackling our employers?!

By the way, talking of good deals (Roo on Morrisons ... by the way, my other half would shop there just because of the Sean Bean ads. Sigh!!!), Tesco's have them now on offer at 81p each.

[M'Lady]

At the moment somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 our lights have low energy bulbs... but when we move house (next month hopefully!) we intend to have all lights with low energy bulbs.

My eldest son (9) is trying to be very eco friendly... he's asked us to take him to the Eco Centre in Southport for a day out at half term... and he wants us to fit solar panels, a wind turbine and a rain catching thing for flushing the loo at the new house.

Edited February 1, 2007 by Lady Penelope

[Wynn D Woo]

All our bulbs are low energy, just because they last longer and use less electricity so are cheaper. Using Low energy bulbs is just sensible but if the government wanted to reduce the UK carbon output maybe they should pass a law which requires street lighting turned off after midnight, only only coming on at 6amat the earliest during the dark mornings - think how much tax savings could be made too

[West is Best]

My eldest son (9) is trying to be very eco friendly... he's asked us to take him to the Eco Centre in Southport for a day out at half term... and he wants us to fit solar panels, a wind turbine and a rain catching thing for flushing the loo at the new house.

Great lad! Now there's a long list of possible polls lined up!

We really want to turn the farm into an eco-energy zone, but that requires a lot of work! Really like the idea of getting a wind turbine up, and hope they can improve the efficiency rating.

(Tell it not in Cumbria, but we think wind turbines are very beautiful!)

[Roo]

Tesco's have them now on offer at 81p each.

Ahhh, but would it be eco friendly to even set foot in Tesco's???

[Devonian]

Well, you asked for honesty so i've clicked the last option.

One little point. Is it not a bit fruitless if i were to use low energy bulbs considering 24hr supermarkets and petrol stations are hardly doing their "doing bit". Just think of the megawatts, in total, places like those use.

So, you'd continue to waste because others do? Do you apply that rule to littering?

[Wynn D Woo]

Great lad! Now there's a long list of possible polls lined up!

We really want to turn the farm into an eco-energy zone, but that requires a lot of work! Really like the idea of getting a wind turbine up, and hope they can improve the efficiency rating.

(Tell it not in Cumbria, but we think wind turbines are very beautiful!)

I agree WIB, two weekends ago i hike over our local hills up to the Taff Ely wind farm and i think the turbines look magnificent.

[Angel15]

Between 1/2 at the moment.

[The Penguin]

We're running 10 out of 30 on low energy lamps, 10 of the other fittings take specialist lamps, so that leaves, em, some still to convert.

[West is Best]

Which brings up another point: do eco-friendly bulbs take more manufacturing than normal bulbs? Do they use more resources and produce more pollution before they reach our homes? Perhaps not, but it would be interesting to know!!

I've done some hunting on the internet on that question and can't find any suggestion that they're more polluting to make bulb for bulb these days, even on the sceptic/anti-AGW sites I looked at. So it may not be an issue. Of course, when you factor in (as you have to) the longevity of low-energy bulbs it ceases to be an issue. Because low energy bulbs last so much longer, for every 1 low-energy bulb you buy you need between 5 and 15 ordinary bulbs (depending on the type you get). Here's an interesting cost chart:

As for Tesco's ... I don't know! Probably not! They are apparently going green though and about to introduce carbon footpint food labelling. Well, every little helps

Edited February 1, 2007 by West is Best

[Gray-Wolf]

Over 50% and now seaching out reasonbly sized small ended screw fits for the others (mainly 'cause I have Scots ancestry mingled with Jewish and I live in Yorkshire so I'm stingy as you like!!!!) but what about your Mobile phone chargers? are they left plugged in when the phone is charged? up to a ton of carbon a year if you answered 'Yes'.

[M'Lady]

Over 50% and now seaching out reasonbly sized small ended screw fits for the others (mainly 'cause I have Scots ancestry mingled with Jewish and I live in Yorkshire so I'm stingy as you like!!!!) but what about your Mobile phone chargers? are they left plugged in when the phone is charged? up to a ton of carbon a year if you answered 'Yes'.

Thanks for that snippet of info, Mr Wolf... I've just hurtled up two flights of stairs to check our chargers were switched off... they were!

And WIB... "every little helps"? You should be ashamed of yourself!

[Roo]

Well, every little helps

Are you on commission?? :lol:

It is a good point about the potential energy waste in making energy efficient things, but I think light bulbs are fairly safe, as you do use so many more non-efficient ones.

[Please excuse my Tesco grumbling...we are getting a new store which looks like it's going to be really bad news for St. Albans]

[Gray-Wolf]

Glad to hear it WiB. It was simply a thought

Gray-Wolf: Are you calling me stingy? Us Scots are actually a generous race, we simply like to be prudent :lol: As for the phone thing, do I get extra brownie points for not actually using my mobile? It sits in the drawer in the hall uncharged all year round

I choose not to fry my brain also (I take chemicles to do that.....or I used to.........) so my 'emegency mobile' is rarely with me (much to the consternation of the folk who want me to take it to 'track me'). I much prefer our walkie talkies for keeping track of each other when out in town/outings.

[WindWatcher]

I voted between 1 and 1/4 of lamps are low energy, this is mainly due to the control system I run for lighting not working with the low energy lamps. I also thought that these low energy lamps worked on the same principle as florescent tubes in that it was better to leave them on for short periods than to turn them on and off, or is that just an urban myth?

I have a terrible carbon footprint in the home due to my marine fish tank as I run 1300w of lights for 9hrs a day :lol: However even on these I have tried to make savings by replacing the old magnetic ballasts for electronic ones which saves about 125w per 400w lamp. This cost £380 to do, but at the price of electricity at the moment it will pay for itself within a couple of years. Quite hard decisions to make especially when there is a large financial outlay up front.

Steve.

[The Penguin]

Between 1/2 at the moment.

Between 1/2? Really? You plonker Angel.

This may surprise you, but I am the most eco conscious person in our house and the thing that really ticks me off is constantly chasing round after my family switching off lights in empty rooms. I would guess that even more energy is wasted nationally through unnecessary use of lights that through high energy lamps.

[SnowBear]

All energy saving bulbs here.

On the point of manufacture cost, that is probably outweighed by the fact they last for darn years.

Record for one of mine at the moment is 12 years..a Phillips 9w one. On average though they last about 4-5 years.

[Roo]

I would guess that even more energy is wasted nationally through unnecessary use of lights that through high energy lamps.

I'd agree.....those people who drive gas-guzzling jags can't help either....

[runs away]

[Somerset Squall]

All energy saving here except for a halogen light in the kitchen.

[Mondy]

But, but...!

What is the point of using energy saving lightbulbs when the aforementioned supermarkets, petrol stations, football stadia, fast food restaurants etc, clearly don't?

Are you all not wasting your time (and energy!) trying to be eco-friendly when the corporate beasts (businesses) don't really care?

[West is Best]

But, but...!

What is the point of using energy saving lightbulbs when the aforementioned supermarkets, petrol stations, football stadia, fast food restaurants etc, clearly don't?

Are you all not wasting your time (and energy!) trying to be eco-friendly when the corporate beasts (businesses) don't really care?

You've already said this on page 1 - exactly the same post! As I replied, let's tackle the 'at home' first, then we'll come on to employers later.

But a plea to a colleague: could you not hijack this thread for a sceptic-to-AGW diversion? It's a poll about energy bulbs at the moment!