The U.S. Congress looks poised to follow Australia and other allies in effectively banning traditional light bulbs. In a front-page story December 17, USA Today reporter Paul Davidson praised the provision of the energy bill that phases out “inefficient” bulbs in favor of more expensive high-tech bulbs.
Davidson declared that the “new generation of energy-efficient lights … will cost consumers more but return their investment in a few months.” The compact fluorescent bulbs, which cost about four times as much as a incandescent bulb, can pay for themselves in saved energy costs as long as they don’t burn out or break prematurely.
But while Davidson mentioned one drawback of CFLs – that their “yellowish tints” are annoying to some eyes – he failed to mention the major flaw of the new technology: mercury.
clipped from: www.businessandmedia.org