This column first appeared in print on September 27, 2006 in that day’s issue of the Inter-County Leader.
“I know,” I said, my head thrust in the refrigerator. “But every second counts. Every penny adds up. You have to turn the lights off when you leave your room . . . Yes, every second . . .Yes the refrigerator light too . . . Um, no, that’s different . . . I can stand as long as I want with the door open looking for salsa . . . Because I’m the dad . . .No, mostly I do see things that are right in front of me . . . Well sometimes life isn’t fair . . . When you have your own house and bills . . .”
Huffing. Eye rolling. A “Whatever.” Finally (thankfully) she tromped off.
Feeling somehow that I’d just lost a must-win, I turned back to the ‘fridge. I knew it was in there somewhere.
I have to admit, she’s much better at this than I ever was. At that age, my only debate tactic was denial.
“Christopher, did you leave the lights on upstairs?”
“No.”
“Christopher . . . don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not. I didn’t. I swear!”
“You’re grounded.”
“Okay.”
But energy conservation is a battle I’m not about to concede. As parents, it’s our sacred duty to instill the “turn-off-lights” value in our children. The strength of our nation depends on this. Our very heritage is at stake. It links generations. If this isn’t a “family value” I don’t know what is.
With energy costs soaring and demand on foreign oil a political hot button, the “lights-off” value is more important than ever . . . today. Tomorrow . . . not so much.
Last year, Americans bought 2 billion light bulbs, roughly18 per household. Bulbs are cheap, about 50 cents apiece, so collectively; we spent $1 billion on “hot wires in bottles”, as they’re called in the trade.
Rewind to 1980 when a niche product called a compact fluorescent (CFL), or “swirl” was introduced. This early model hummed, mustered only a weak bluish or pinkish light, and cost about $25. Still, they lasted longer and paid for themselves in energy savings.
Swirls have changed since then. The other day I picked up a 3-pack for $7.58 ($2.52 a bulb). They work great and eliminate my future need of at least 24 regular bulbs.
Additionally, a $2.52 swirl, lit 4 hours a day, actually pays for itself in energy savings in less than 5 months. In fact, according to the packaging on the bulb, GE promises you will save at least $38 on your electric bills over the life of one CFL.
According to a recent article in Fast Company (Fishman, Sept 2006), last year’s sales of CFLs were a modest 5% of the total market–100 million. This year, that number will double because Wal Mart, the king of scale, has decided to actually drive sales, featuring swirls at eye level on the shelves and creating awareness with a “light bulb education center” in every store. Their goal: sell one swirl to every regular Wal Mart customer—all 100 million of them.
Why is that significant? Because a CFL uses only 13 watts to produce the same light as a traditional 60-watt bulb, swapping just one (100 million times) saves enough energy to eliminate 2 power plants. In other words, the energy saved would be enough to power a city of 1.5 million people. In terms of greenhouse gasses, that’s like taking 1.3 million cars off the roads.
That’s just one light bulb. What if every customer bought 2 bulbs? I already have ten scattered around my house. A typical American house has between 50 and 100 bulb outlets. The net implications of this technology coupled with Wal Mart’s scale are staggering.
David Goldstein, a PhD physicist, MacArthur Genius Fellow, and senior energy scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council puts it this way: “This could be just what the world’s been waiting for, for the last 20 years.”
The problem is that if this information falls into the wrong hands, it can easily be used against me. Giving up the “turn-off-lights” value would only take us one step closer to anarchy. Next they’ll say 20-minute showers are fine, or that it’s okay to leave the refrigerator door open even when you’re not looking for salsa.
Copyright © 2006 by Chris Wondra. All Rights Reserved.
1. Fishman, Charles (2006, September) Fast Company, How Many Light Bulbs Does It Take To Change the World? One. And you’re Looking At It., 74-83.
Update: Seth Goodin is creating even more awareness with a challenge to bloggers to write about swirls. Which is ultra cool because he gets a ton of traffic.
Ask me today (1/4/07) which published column I’m most proud of, it’s this one. I can’t even count anymore how many people have stopped to talk to me specifically about CFls, but more inspiring for me are the actual number of lightbulbs people have bought after specifically reading my column.
The power of the pen, is still very much alive. And it thrills me to no end.
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8 responses so far ↓
1 rwbonner // Sep 26, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I found this article really hit home for me. My father was a staunch “turn off the lights type”. With almost similar rhetoric as you had given your kids, my father gave me. I have used swirl bulbs in my last three apartments. Not only did I see the need for energy conservation, but I am a broke college student.
2 Christopher Wondra // Sep 27, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Thanks for the comment Rob. Certainly wasn’t expecting one so soon on this only hours old blog. If you’re into this kind of stuff, you should read the original article in Fast Company. It really got me jazzed up. But then again, I am an energy geek.
Hey, being a broke college student isn’t so bad. It’s better than being a broke family man with two jobs. Ugh . . . working on that.
Chris
3 Dylan // Nov 8, 2006 at 7:35 pm
i really love the website…yea…
4 Kendra // Nov 15, 2006 at 6:47 am
Because of this article, my household already has at least 6 “swirl” bulbs in place. That’s it for us now, I can’t imagine us buying any other kind. And I had NO IDEA that they exsisted (or chose not to pay attention) before reading your info. Thank you.
5 Quick hits « Shane’s Drivel // Mar 25, 2007 at 11:51 am
[…] and shapes. These bulbs are more expensive than regular bulbs, but apparently their energy savings can pay for themselves in just a few months. How are the bulbs? My advice - compare lumens. In my experience, the “60W equivalent” […]
6 Direct Buy: A Consumer Report // Apr 10, 2007 at 8:45 pm
[…] and think I can make my money back in a reasonable amount of time, usually I’m in. This and this are just two examples of how I’ll put my money where my mouth […]
7 Sylvan // Oct 14, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Chris,
Greetings from your favorite antagonist, always quick to present the other point of view. I guess that was a little reduntant.
I have two points on the bulb that will save the world. First point: Last October or so, after reading your article and discussing these bulbs with you personally, I bravely ventured into the local “Super Wal-Mom and Pop Store Killer” and purchased one of these swirly bulbs in the recessed-can flood model.
It’s burnt out! It fried itself in less than a year; faster than any ordinary bulb I’ve ever owned.
Aren’t these things supposed to last until my littlest graduates from high-school? At this rate, I’ll have filled a small land fill by then. While I’m on the subject, you better let me know if there’s any special way in which these should be disposed. I’m guessing there’s some kind of gas in there that will rip a whole in the ozone layer the size of a football field.
To be fair, my first bulb may have been a free radical, a statistical anomoly that didn’t know it was supposed to last longer than it’s low brow cousin.
On to point two: As you well know I’ve got projects to get done and I’m always running late. These things take too long to brighten. I walk in the house, flip on the lights, impale the sole of my foot on the Polly Pocket Convertable with lead based paint, step on a sleeping dog and hobble to the other end of the room shutting the light of behind me before it realized it was supposed to be on. I need a bulb that can keep up with me.
The bulbs I hate most are the cute little buggers I installed above the mirrors in the bathroom. These things are responsible for staining too many dress shirts. They brighten just in time for me to witness the carnage I’ve inflicted on my face while shaving. “Oh! - the humanity.” My already challenged mug looks like a crime scene and it appears I’ve removed half an eye brow.
So there you have. It appears swirly bulbs burn out quickly and they don’t brighten fast enough for my life style.
Here’s to long life through preservatives,
Sylvan
Sylvan,
I hate to admit it, but your points are all valid. Though I don’t seem to have the same problem you do waiting for them to brighten up–they don’t immediately brighten at full blast. My first response to your objection here would be, “You need to slow down and enjoy life etc, etc . . .” but new and better technology is supposed to make us better and faster, not slow us down. So I agree with you–kind of.
I’m also conserned with the disposal issue. It’s mercury, I think, that is the issue here. I don’t like it, and I don’t have a good answer for that one either–yet.
I do have an eye on the future though. So if these swirlies rub you the wrong way–here’s what I would suggest. Go back to the regular incandescent bulbs and wait two or three years. The future will not be lit by CFL’s but LEDs. They’re getting brighter and most are even more efficient than CFLs. Plus they’re smaller.
There is still a mercury issue (I think) but very much less than CFL’s.
Mark my words here–in as little as 3-5 years CFLs will be obsolete. LEDs are leading the way (pun very much intended).
Oh, and by the way–if your in such a damn rush all the time, what are you doing wasting your time reading my blog? Haven’t your read my About page? There are hundreds of better ways to spend your time.
Having said that–it’s fun to see your comment. It would be equally fun to see your perspective voiced more often here. As Larry says–”you’re a great peer reviewer!”
Talk to you later pal.
Chris
8 Sylvan // Oct 15, 2007 at 8:15 pm
In high school a girl I had a crush on told me to not be so cynical. Can you believe that?…….I couldn’t believe that! Still can’t.
Anyway, I spent a couple hours looking at your site, blog, or whatever. I’m finding it very entertaining. Keep up the good work. It must be addictive because I’m back.
You got a girl to talk to you in high school? No. You’re right. That is hard to believe.
Chris
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