NEW YORK - Light bulb makers have revamped some plants, shuttered others and invested enormous sums of money in preparation for a technological shift that they believe will revolutionize the industry.

Yet the fact that the incandescent bulb, which has remained largely unchanged for more than a century, is about to become obsolete is lost on the majority of the public.

The phase-out of the iconic light bulbs begins in three years as part of the energy bill signed in 2007.

They will be edged out by light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, made from semiconductors, and compact fluorescent bulbs, known by their twisty, tubular shape.

New regulations require, for instance, that a typical 100-watt bulb be replaced by one that provides the same amount of light with 72 watts. Light bulbs will have to be even more efficient by 2020.

The author of the energy bill´s lighting provision, Sen. Jeff Binganam, D-N.M., said at the time that incandescent bulbs "will be virtually obsolete" by 2014.

Osram Sylvania, one of the world´s largest bulb producers, commissioned a survey to find out if the public agreed, only to find out 80 percent of Americans don´t know the light bulb, as we know it, is on the way out.

Major bulb manufacturers and retailers met in Dallas last week to find ways to incorporate LEDs into more products, but have been in transition mode for years.

General Electric has closed lighting plants in Brazil, Mexico, and the U.S., and Osram Sylvania is modifying existing plants.

The European Union will start phasing incandescent bulbs out this September.

Specialty incandescent bulbs - such as those used in applainces - will be available on a limited basis.

The cost of switching over to LEDs and compact fluorescents could be a jolt to some consumers.

Royal Philips Electronics introduced a line of LEDs in Europe last year for about $90. General Electric´s base LED bulb sells for about $35 to $40.

Prices will come down as technology improves, said Charlie Jerabek, president and chief executive of Orsam Sylvania. And the new bulbs do eventually psy off, economically and in efficiency.

A recent study by Rensselaer Polytechic Institute estimates global financial savings from LEDs could exceed $10 trillion within 10 years because they last much longer.

Americans keep about 73 million lights on everyday for a period of between 4 and 12 hours, with about 28 million powered by energy-efficient bulbs, according to the Department of Energy.

The new lighting standards coming online are expected to lower consumers´ annual electricity bills by $13 billion in 2020.

Incandescent bulbs, invented by Thomas Edison more than 120 years ago, brighten a room by heating a metal filament in a vacuum, but waste large amounts of heat.

Compact fluorescent bulbs contain a gas that reacts with electricity to create invisible ultraviolet light. When that light hits material inside the bulb, it is converted into ordinary light.

But some people find the light from compact bulbs harsh, and the fluorescents contain toxic mercury, meaning they shouldn´t simply be thrown in the trash.

LEDs emit very little heat, do not contain mercury like compact fluorescent bulbs, are about 40 percent more efficient, and if installed correctly last more than 50,000 hours.

So far only 12 percent of Orsam Sylvania´s business comed from LEDs. The company plans to market LED bulbs for home use within three months.

For lighting engineers, the LED has become the nee playground. They can be designed to change colors and have multiple applications, from mood lighting in the living room to the harsh environment of a rock concert stage.

"The way we interact with lighting systems is going to change dramatically," said the American Lighting Association´s Terry McGowan.

"It´s limited only by your imagination or your budget." 

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Mercury Pollution

How Does Mecury (specifically methylmercury) Enter the Environment?

Mercury has become a contaminent of great concern. Mercury is found in the air, waterways, lakes, and the ocean. It is released into the air by the combustion of coal for electricity, and may be transported from the air to soil and water by rain. The mercury in urban storm water sediment results in part from improperly discarded fluorescent lights, electrical switches, thermometers, other mercury-containing devices, and historical and ongoing industrial activities.

Mercury in the air eventually settles into the water or onto our land where it can be washed into water. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change it into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others. The levels of methylmercury in fish and shellfish depend on what they eat, how long they live and how high they are in the food chain.

What are the Health Effects for Humans?

For fetuses, infants, and children, the primary health effect of methylmercury is impaired neurological development. Methylmercury exposure in the womb, which can result from a mother´s consumption of fish and shellfish that contain methylmercury, can adversely affect a baby´s growing brain and nervous system. Impacts on cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills have been in children exposed to methylmercury in the womb.

Outbreaks of methylmercury poisonings have made it clear that adults, children, and developing fetuses are at risk from ingestion exposure to methylmercury. During these poisoning outbreaks some mothers with no symptoms of nervous system damage gave birth to infants with severe disabilities, it became clear that the developing nervous system of the fetus may be more vulnerable to methylmercury than is the adult nervous system.

Why is Mercury Damaging to the Environment?

Mercury in the air may settle into water bodies and affect water quality. This airborne mercury can fall to the ground in raindrops, in dust, or simply due to gravity (known as "air deposition"). After the mercury falls, it can end up in streams, lakes, or estuaries, where it can be transferred to methylmercury through microbial activity. Methylmercury accumulates in fish at levels that may harm the fish and the other animals that eat them. Mercury deposition in a given area depends on mercury emitted from local, regional, national, and international sources. The amount of methylmercury in fish in different waterbodies is a function of a number of factors, including teh amount of mercury deposited from the atmosphere, local non-air releases of mercury, naturally occuring mercury in soils, the physical, biological, and chemical properties of different waterbodies and the age, size and types of food the fish eats. this explains why fish from lakes with similar local sources of methylmercury can have significantly different methylmercury concentrations.

How are Animals Harmed by Mercury?

Birds and mammals that eat fish are more exposed to methylmercury than any other animals in water ecosystems. Similarly, predators that eat fish-eating animals are at risk. Methylmercury has been found in eagles, otters, and endangered Florida panthers. Analyses conducted for the Mercury Study Report to Congress suggest that some highly-exposed wildlife species are being harmed by methylmercury. Effects of methylmeercury exposure on wildlife can include mortality (death), reduced fertility, slower growth and development and abnormal behavior that affects survival, depending on the level of exposure. In addition, research indicates that the endocrine system of fish, which plays an important role in fish development and reproduction, may be altered by the levels of methylmercury found in the environment.

Why Recycle Light Bulbs?

• Keeps mercury containing products out of inappropriate waste disposal streams (especially incineration);
• Preferred disposal method in most states for mercury-containing lamps;
• Consistent with solid waste disposal bans and partial bans in some states;
• May limit user´s superfund liability; and simplifies enforcement

Environmental Facts Realting to Mercury and Light Bulb Recycling

• Each year, an estimated 600 million fluorescent lamps are disposed of in U.S. landfills amounting to 30,000 pounds of mercury waste.
• The Environmental Protection Agency reports that 187 incinerators nationwide emit approximately 70,000 total pounds of mercury into the environment each year.
• In 1992, mercury-containing lamps were added to the United States´ Environmental Protection Agency´s (EPA) list of hazardous substances. (The EPA´s regulatory threshold of 2mg./liter is usually exceeded by mercury-containing lamps).
• Mercury was number three on the 1997 list of hazardous substances as outlined by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the EPA.
• In America one-in-six children born every year have been exposed to mercury levels so high that they are potentially at risk for learning disabilities, motor skill impairment and short-term memory loss.
• The Mercury from one fluorescent bulb can pollute 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels of drinking.
• In the states of California, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, it is unlawful for anyone to dispose of fluorescent bulbs as universal waste.

http://www.lightbulbrecycling.com/mercury_pollution.html

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Lupus, the Sun and UV Rays

Pain is triggered by many things when you have lupus. The main triggers are the weather and the sun. Photosensitivity is one of the most aggravating triggers of the disease. It doesn´t take much exposure to ensure a reaction of pain.

Lupus patients are very sensitive to UV rays, especially those who suffer from Discoid Lupus. It is a known trigger for a flare! That is why it is so important to wear sunscreen when outside in the sun. But what most people don´t realize is, they should be wearing UV protection inside stores as well.

UV rays from the sun can trigger reactions in the skin in the form of a rash, or purple spots under the skin called pupura, but will also cause muscle and joint pain.

People with Lupus must also be aware of "hidden" UV rays as in Fluorescent lighting. If you work in an area with fluorescent lighting, then you should be wearing a sunscreen even while working inside the building.

Also for those of you who shop at Walmart or Kmart, most grocery stores or ANY store that uses the fluorescent light fixtures (long rectangle boxes with long tube-shaped light bulbs).  Please be aware that fluorescent lighting gives off UV rays unless the fixture is fitted with a special lens.

Most fluorescent lighting can be covered with a protective Plexiglass panel that allows light through but not the radiation that triggers the pain. There is a UV protective panel available for fluorescent lighting fixtures but because of cost, it is usually not installed in offices and stores.

A two hour shopping spree in Walmart is equivalent to a full hour in the sun. You don´t get sunburned but you do get the full hour of UV rays. Enough to trigger a flare of itching, rashy skin, aching muscles, low grade fever, and/or extreme fatigue.

And you thought the shopping itself was making you ill... guess again!! It is the lights in the store!

So go prepared... wear your sunscreen... use a hat or a scarf... and even though you may be tired from all the walking, you won´t begin a flare that will last for several days.

Computer screens also give off small amounts of UV radiation. Most people are not affected by it, but people with lupus or other photo sensitivities should take precautions. Especially if you are in front of the screen for long periods of time (more than an hour at a time, for days in a row). The best thing you can purchase to help eliminate the problem is a monitor anti-glare screen that fits over the monitor itself. It knocks down the glare as well as blocks the UV rays. 3M company makes several different kinds.

Limitting yourself to short periods of time in the sun will help eliminate some of the pain, but wearing sunscreen is a must! Sunscreen should be at least 30 SPF, with 45 SPF being a better choice.

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The Change to Energy Efficient Fluorescent Light Bulbs May Prove Disastrous

April 19, 2007

Jenna Hansen

If Fluorescent Lights gave You Headaches, Would You Care About Energy Efficiency?

Many Californians are excited about the change to energy efficient fluorescent lights. By 2012, legislators hope to have incandescent lights banned. While this may very well save the average home $50 and help to save energy, for some, that´s not enough to motivate them to make the change. I´d sooner go out of state for some illegal incandescent lighting, than take the fatigue, headaches, and even fainting spells caused by fluorescent lighting. For me, and others with scoptic sensitivity syndrome, the possibility of a change to fluorescent lighting sounds like a horror movie.

For more information on incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, and energy efficiency, I recommend reading Summer Minor´s excellent article: "Energy Efficient Fluorescent Light Bulbs Gain Popularity." To summarize a bit, incandescent light bulbs have been around for a long time, but aren´t all that efficient. Most importantly, this energy efficiency has inspired legislators in California to increase fluorescent lighting use and even ban incandescent lighting.

Those with scoptic sensitivity syndrome (Irlen syndrome) in California are definitely not rejoicing over this proposed change. While not all symptoms of scoptic sensitivity syndrome relate to fluorescent lighting, several do. For example, many people who have been diagnosed with scoptic sensitivity syndrome experience strain or fatigue working and reading under fluorescent lights. They may even get a headache or even a migraine if under such lighting for any length of time. Performance may deteriorate under fluorescent lighting and concentration may fade. Those with scoptic sensitivity syndrome may become restless and daydream under fluorescent lights. while not everyone with Irlen syndrome will have the same symptoms, fluorescent lighting is very likely to cause at least some problems.

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WHY LED...

The country is experiencing an energy crisis characterized by rapid and drastic price increases as well as threatened shortages. Within one year Americans spend $1 trillion on energy and the rising cost is of primary concern.

Electricity, which is an output from many energy resources, is used to power most equipment and facilities.  Its usage has increased to ten times of the 1950s level.  The nation’s capacity to generate and distribute electricity has not increased in accordance with the growing demand. This gap has led to power reliability problems resulting in major blackouts throughout the country. Power outages disrupt business operations and result in the loss of significant portions of business inventories. In general, energy markets are experiencing high demand and limited supplies, resulting in volatile and soaring prices.  The end product will be inflationary pressures that continue to challenge the country’s businesses as they struggle to adjust to the new economic conditions. Environmental considerations are gaining prominence for responsible businesses.

Electricity is one of the biggest producers of carbon emissions, so every time you turn on the television or computer you are adding to global warming.  Using efficient light sources is vital to conservation and sustainability.  49% of the electricity in the US is produced from coal fired power plants. Besides CO2, these power plants emit hazardous substances including mercury, nitrous oxides, sulphur oxides, and particulates. Using LEDs for lighting means using less electricity, and that means less of these substances contaminating our environment.

 Most household lighting today comes from incandescent bulbs -- the same sort that Thomas Edison invented more than 100 years ago. They are bright and cheap but also wasteful and the higher wattage translates to a higher cost on your electricity bill.    A compact fluorescent bulb, the most common alternative, can throw off just as much light but requires far fewer watts to do so and, unlike incandescent, doesn´t generate needless heat.   But there are drawbacks to compact fluorescents.   They have mercury in them.   Mercury, a heavy metal, is toxic and extremely hazardous when it is breathed as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. These exposures can occur when mercury is spilled or products that contain mercury break and are exposed to the air, particularly in warm or poorly-ventilated indoor spaces.

CFLs or other fluorescent light bulbs thrown into the trash are usually sent to a landfill or incinerated. These disposal methods will lead to releases of mercury into the environment through breakage and leakage.  There is also the potential for exposure to mercury from broken fluorescent light bulbs thrown in a dumpster, trash compactor, or trash can.  Approximately 670 million fluorescent light bulbs are discarded each year in the United States. These discarded bulbs can release approximately 2 to 4 tons of mercury per year into the environment. Once in the environment, mercury can be converted to an organic form that accumulates in living organisms and contaminates the food chain. In contrast, LEDs contain no mercury and require no special handling for disposal.  LED´s longer life-cycle reduces waste and energy associated with repair and replacement that is typical of neon and incandescent lighting. 

Commercial and industrial managers are generally interested in using a light source that is reliable and lasts a long time. Frequent lamp replacements can be costly from a maintenance perspective, and failed lamps could expose lamp operators to liabilities.

 In fact, maintenance savings are one of the primary reasons behind the adoption of LEDs in several markets.  LED sources radiate less heat than fluorescents, limiting the growth of bacteria thus increasing shelf life of meat products in refrigerated display cases.

Most LED Street and area lighting products in the market have color temperatures of 3000-8000k and color rendering indices of 70-85. With these color characteristics, LED Street and area lights compare favorably with high pressure sodium lamps that have color temperatures of 1900-2200, providing a yellow/orange light, and color rendering indices as low as 23. LEDs depreciate slowly over time in comparison with high intensity discharge (HID) lamps. The difference between HID initial and mean lumen output is significant, and leads to a lower efficacy over the lifetime of the HID lamp. It is estimated that there are 829 million recessed down light fixtures in the U.S. 

The commercial sector installed base of recessed down lights is derived from the Electric Light Fixture Current Industrial Reports published by the U.S. Census Bureau.  This study tracks electric light fixture sales by fixture type in the U.S. for the residential, commercial, industrial, and outdoor stationary sectors.   For the residential sector, the recessed downlight inventory was estimated by using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Electric Light Fixture Current Industrial Reports and the California Residential Lighting and Appliance Efficiency Saturation Surveys.