Should the old style, cheap light bulb be phased out?

Logical (Rotorua)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 lets_get_real (Herne Bay)
You are so fortunate to have not had any bulb failures. We have been using these so called long-life eco bulbs in my office for the last 5 years and we trialled them at home. I was replacing one every couple of months. The price of these bulbs was well and truly wiping out the miniscule power savings when in use. I think if the costs of production and costs to the environment were to be taken account of I probably have cost the planet more than if I had stuck with incandescents. Sorry fellow citizens - I done bad.

Foo Fughter (Fendalton)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 People should be free to buy whatever type of light bulb they like, whenever they like. Thank the Lord & our newly elected John boy that common sense finally rules in NZ and the ol' tree hugging smarties have been sent packing. Now we have to put in our ear plugs so we don't have to listen to them sulk into their Chardonnay!

M Taylor (Lower Hutt)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 Can someone please help me find a light bulb? I have flush-mounted bayonet down lighting in my house. I have been to Mitre10 Mega and all the other stores and asked what my alternative was, and NOBODY knew. How are we supposed to make a safe choice when we can't find a store with anyone who knows anything about light bulbs?
If I did decide to go with the eco ones in my kitchen or something what would I use? We can't even use the oldschool lightbulb in it, we have to use the bigger ones with the silver backs so that the fitting doesn't overheat

(See: http:/www.amazon.com/Incandescent-Spot-Light-Bulb-Volts/dp/B00029HYWG).

I have tried to do research and all I've found out is that eco-bulbs get too hot for flush-mounted down-lighting and are unsafe to use because they'll melt the fittings.
I brought my house like this, so what should I use? Does anyone out there know of what to use?

Ken (Ellerslie)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 Most people don't seem to understand that to fit the new bulbs, many existing light fittings and the wiring will need completely replacing or new lighting systems. The only fittings the new so-called eco-fiendly bulbs will fit are the old simple light sockets - without dimmers.

Most of these more expensive new bulbs are made in China and to call them eco is nonsense. The process to make them is anything but eco-friendly and consumes large amounts of energy.

Frankly, it's all another eco-con.

Helen (Onehunga)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 What are the grizzlers grizzling about now?
I believe the article states that National are not going ahead with phasing out the old lightbulbs and by inference it seems they are refusing to be a Nanny State.
So now we're back to deciding for ourselves which sort of light bulb to buy- those of us who enjoy mercury poisoning can sniff it up as and when they please, and those of us who enjoy paying high power bills may do so with impunity.
So it's up to us to decide, and that's the way it should be- or if that offends anyone,and it's sure to, then they can move to mainland China and never need to think for themselves again.

Alex (Thorndon)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 steve s (Geraldine): you give a prime example of why I voted National. I am sick of the sheer contempt you leftists hold towards 45% of voters who dared to think differently.
Contrary to what you might "think", we didn't vote National because of simplistic slogans or for a few extra dollars in tax cuts.

The ecobulb issue is a perfect microcosm of the political divide. if you're a leftist, you start from the premise that most are either ignorant or selfish, that the leftist elite know best, and therefore legislation is always necessary.

The approach taken by National is the reverse: people aren't stupid, do not need to be told what is best for them, and moreover individual circumstances may mean that "black and white" legislative solutions may cause more problems.

Further, it appears from the scientific evidence, that the view that ecobulbs are "green" is not clear once you offset the production and disposal costs. National is treating people as citizens - autonomous, intelligent ones. Lets see how things go before legislating straight away for a change.

Mum of six (Manukau City)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 Thank goodness - finally - for a Prime Minister who doesn't want to dictate our every move.
"Yes", I would love to pay less for power, and "yes" I would take a cleaner option over a polluting one . but the thing is, the (supposedly) eco-bulb is the polluting option.

It is a nasty toxic thing loaded with mercury (to make it use less power) - and I am thankful that I will still have the - choice (wow!) - to pay a little bit more for power, while using a cleaner, healthier (ordinary!) lightbulb.

http:/www.thebriefingroom.com/archives/2008/08/mercury_in_cfls.html
http:/uncensoredmagazine.co.nz/news/2008/09/01/mercury-in-cfls-%E2%80%93-special-investigation/
http:/www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/16555/readers-recount-eco-bulb-woes

Cue_Ball (Hawea Flat)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 How do we dispose of Eco bulbs? Each CFLs contain tiny amounts of mercury (about the size of 1-3 grains of salt, depending on the brand. not realy that much but in the same thought too much. we get told how green these things are, but not the affect that it will have if we all get them. The may be energy efficient but are not Green! you choose, but I will never buy another

Kevin Barker (Royal Oak)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 I believe the new bulbs are a step in the right direction. They save power, I am a physicist and cannot understand Alexcey's statement that their real power consumption is not as good. All power we receive in our homes have losses during power transmission, this is for everything that uses power. Not just bulbs. That is why localised power production makes good sense. Even with raising transmission voltage, losses are great when the generation is in the S Island and consumers hundreds of kilometres away,

They do use significantly less power (approximately a fifth) for lighting. I find them a tad frustrating as the light is not as nice as the old incandescent bulbs.

The amount of Hg in them is less than reported. But a method of reducing this collecting in our environment may need to be devised.If they hit landfills in time the levels may well accumulate.

Good insulation in houses, appropriate water use and these energy saving bulbs all act to reduce our overall power consumption. I do not see any plans for large scale increases in generation in the horizon so thriftiness is necessary,

geo (Tauranga)
Wednesday December 3, 2008 Like going to the supermarket, let the people decide what they want to buy i.e. a cheaper cut of meat or the gourmet cut. Let no fool who was in the first place put in parliament by the people, now turn around and start telling them what blubs to buy,what shower flow they should instal. If the people keep allowing these morons to dictate to them, then what will come next? What kind of soap or toilet paper to use? Let your message be very clear to these imbeciles by ticking them out on election day.

Submit a comment

More Articles:

Next Your Views Story: Was the decision to end the second England vs Black Caps one-day game fair?

Your Views Homepage

---