Ok this is going to be super quick because I'm blogging at work, but I wanted you to know that Diana over at Somebody Heal Me put together an awesome petition against CFL's being the only choice in light bulbs. As you may or may not know, CFL light bulbs can trigger migraineurs, and if these become the only light bulbs available, this can be a huge problem for us! You can sign it by clicking Here. Please go and sign this petition. It just went up and we already have 12 signatures, but we need many more!!!
Thanks!
I'll be back later when I have more time to give more info on this. Sorry this is so short.
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7 comments:
Thanks for posting about the petition! We've already had such good responses, and I hope we can create more and more interest.
Diana
I am less than enthusiastic about compact fluorescent light bulbs. As someone who sells light bulbs for a living, I understand the value of energy conservation, but not at the cost of health risks posed by compact fluorescent bulbs. Any amount of mercury poses a significant danger, and there is no good justification for introducing this into homes or schools. Disposal of broken compact fluorescent bulbs is challenging at best, and toxic at worst. It is my belief that the technology should progress to a point at which the mercury levels are low or nonexistent (which we are already seeing with LED and plasma bulbs) before people changeover their entire homes.
My feeling is that yes, the energy efficent light bulbs (CFL's) have a place in the market. But, I just don't want them to become the only choice when they can trigger migraineurs, lupus patients and other neurological disorders.
Give us a choice!!!!
Most CFLs today on the market contain less than 5mgs of mercury and there are CFL options out there that contain as little as 1.5mgs of mercury- which can hardly be called a “significant amounts of mercury” considering that many item in your home contain 100s of times more of mercury including your computer. Mercury levels in CFLs can never be “nonexistent” since mercury is a necessary component of a CFL and there is no other known element that is capable of replacing it. But CFLs actually prevent more mercury from entering the environment. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, “a coal-fired power plant will emit about four times more mercury to keep an incandescent bulb glowing, compared with a CFL of the same light output”.
Krissy,
Dear, I think you are missing the point on this. Migraineurs and CFL's have nothing to do with the mercury level what so ever. It has to do with the flicker the bulb gives off.
It can bring on a migraine attack for migraineurs, and also induce seizures in those with epilepsy.
I am with you on them being more enviromentally sound, but at the cost of my health? Sorry, I'm not willing to go there.
10% people are dyslexic, 10% of them are photosensitive. I am both, i Use only 25watt (or less) incandescent light bulbs. If you are getting headaches, migraine etc from cfl's then you to suffer from a type of photosensitivity. I recomend lightly tinted amber glasses. You can't always control how other people light your environment. By the way. I've hear cfl's are not safe (don't just trust me look it up). cheers Scott
I'm a long time Migraine sufferer in L.A. My main trigger has always been flickering light.
Principally Fluorescents and computer monitors set at a low refresh rate.
Setting the "Refresh rate" on my computer monitor well above the 60 Hz minimum helped a great deal for work. (It's set to 85Hz now. - Much better on the eyes.)
I have no fluorescents at home and that's the only way I can avoid headaches. Now I can barely stand shopping in businesses that have tossed out their regular bulbs for CFLs.
We've got to repeal that heinous legislation to go all-CFL. It's also a big profit-grab for Sylvania and GE.
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