It’s not that hard being green!
Over the weekend, during the heat wave, I discovered something! Those energy efficient bulbs don’t generate nearly as much heat as incandascent bulbs!
I’d bought a bunch of the new bulbs, thinking to be very virtuous, but found I could only bear that light in one place: the hallway table by the door. Better than nothing, I thought, and I do use that light a lot. Well, I got used to it after a while. After a month or so, I decided to put a stronger one (a 75 watt equivalent that only puts out 35 watts, but is nice and bright) for my kitchen light. At first it was a little jarring, but I grew to like it within a few days.
I’ve finally put a third bulb at my work table—when I noticed how hot the incandascent light was! And you know what? It actually makes me feel cooler to see that cool, bluish, moonlight.
So, in honor of my discovery, I’ve put a poster of last week’s TNY cover by Staake in the hallway by the light, and am posting it today, to try to encourage everyone. It’s an acquired taste, but I feel so cool, and in more ways than one…
(NB: I got the poster at a TNY event, because it was a leftover promo item, but you can get your own copy at the cartoonbank, by clicking on the image.)
July 10th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I have, in fact, been inspired to purchase a bike (a sweet Trek) and commute to work. Today being the first day. No small task here in the land of narrow country roads and S.U.V.-choked suburbia. Soon I hope to be lean, green, and not pureed.
July 15th, 2007 at 4:39 am
Well, guess why the energy efficient ones are more efficient…? They produce less warmth and therefore more light per watt.
Just find it a little puzzleing that your 75 watts equivilent actually has 45 watts. Here the energy saving bulbs usually have 20 watts when they produce the equivilent of an oldfashioned 100 watts bulb. Seems you are having a different technology here?
July 21st, 2007 at 5:08 am
I have put these bulbs in where ever possible. They are especially good as porch lights, brighter and lasting longer. I have to teeter on a step ladder to change those outside bulbs, so they are also saving me from a possible neck breaking.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:31 am
Maria, I’m pretty sure the 75-watt equivalent was indicated to use 35, not 45 watts. 20 would be even better, of course! The electricity is a bit different over there, isn’t it? Or is that just in France, and Berlin is the same as the US? I remember the whole trauma of learning I wouldn’t be able to bring my sewing machine over to France because the motor would have gone bad.
And Shaw, you’d better wear a helmet and get yourself some reflectors and lights! Maybe do like my dad used to do: use an air horn, too.
Bravo, Robin!
PS- I also bought automatically lighting/extinguishing LED night lights for the kitchen and hallway. They’re pretty, too!