Edison bulb ban in EU; Swine flu for Clark's daughter? on clarkhoward.com

We are three years away from traditional incandescent bulbs being banned in the United States. As of Sept. 1, new European Union rules made it illegal for many Europeans to buy a traditional bulb -- except for those that were still on the shelf.

Will the new crime du jour become smuggling traditional bulbs into the EU?

The International Herald Tribune reports that Germans were panicked about the Sept. 1 regulation and have been stockpiling traditional bulbs. Meanwhile, other European countries reacted to the ban with a shrug of the shoulders. So much of our behaviors and reactions are culturally influenced!

Compact fluorescent lights are one of the new options for lighting available in the United States. CFLs use a quarter of the energy of traditional bulbs and can put $80/year back in your pocket.

One reason people haven't embraced CFLs, however, is the fuss over their mercury content. But it's negligible compared to a traditional thermometer -- something in the range of one-four hundredth. You can also recycle CFLs at Home Depot stores across the country.

When traditional bulbs are banned stateside, halogens may be good compromise for some people.

Meanwhile, in totally unrelated news, Clark's 10-year-old daughter had possibly come down with swine flu, though it wasn't officially diagnosed. She had fever as high as 102.6 degrees, chills, nausea, cough, lethargy and didn't want fluids.

Yet it was nothing to panic over. She made a full recovery. Those who have contracted the H1N1 strain vs. the number who have actually died from it indicate that this is a mild strain compared to other influenza outbreaks. Of course, Clark realizes that's little comfort if you have actually lost someone to swine flu.

But he wants to emphasize that swine flu is generally not a death sentence.

Elderly people are one group you might expect to contract H1N1 that generally hasn't. The thinking now is that they may have been exposed to a similar flu early in life and have some level of immunity.

Pregnant women, however, should not take this outbreak lightly. The warnings from the CDC are very clear on this.

What others are saying

CFLs
Do dimmable CFLs work on motion activated circuits?
By Gary Benton @ 09/22/09 06:14:37 AMreport abuse
CFLs not all they are cracked up to be!
check the facts- CFLs have MUCH shorter life span than advertised if constantly turned off and on, like many household bulbs.. they have a much higher failure rate out of the box, and if you lose one expensive bulb to failure your equation goes out the window; even modern CFLs are much less attractive and produce a much less pleasing light; manufacturers say that even "dimmable" CFLs are not really true dimming, they are stepped, and cannot produce the warm range that a dim incandecsent bulb can; older houses with dimmable lights are likely not able to use dimmable CFLs because they do not have proper wiring.. even if you can you will likely have to replace your dimmers at $10+ each, and a dimming CFL lasts much less tiem than a non-dimming CFL (verus incandescent, where dimmed lights can last years longer than non-dimmed); the lights even today take over a minuet to get up to full lumens- so they are not safe or useful in many applications, incandesents are instantaneous; and finally, CFLs do not work well in cold weather, so forget cold garages or outdoor lighting..
Go after the big industrial polluters (i.e. corporations) before taking away my old bulbs!
By RoastAK @ 09/21/09 07:22:53 PMreport abuse
Swine Flu
I am glad your daughter is better, but when did the symptoms become Swine Flu versus just the flu. What makes it different?
By bmbutler @ 09/21/09 03:35:52 PMreport abuse
CFLs
Just great--I have a spotlight above my kitchen sink and bought one of the new CFLs to replace it. The CFL is slightly longer than the old one, not much, but just enough so that I can't open the cupboard door behind it!
By MaryQ @ 09/21/09 02:32:51 PMreport abuse
The new light bulbs scare me. I heard on a health radio show last year that the new bulbs emit EMFs (electromagnetic fields) that were used in the cold war to make enemys sick. Also, how is it that the market is big on promoting mercury-free thermometers, but it is suddenly okay to have mercury in all of the lights in your house? I refuse to buy the new bulbs. Every time I go to the dollar store I stock up on more of the good old-fashioned kind that have the added bonus of giving off heat - appreciated on those cold winter nights. The dollar store cannot keep the old bulbs stocked fast enough so I know I'm not the only one.
By Rick @ 09/21/09 01:39:56 PMreport abuse
CFL not bad?
epa.gov
* Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
* Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
* Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
* If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
* You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
* If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.
* Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
* Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
* Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.
By C @ 09/21/09 01:35:00 PMreport abuse
CFL's are not bad
I early adopted with Clark the CFLs and was not too happy with the results. Recently, I gave it another shot and the new bulbs are far and away better than the previous incarnation. You should give them a try.
By Daniel @ 09/21/09 01:25:56 PMreport abuse
EU=PU
The EU stinks, I hope Europe is not a crystal ball of the US. I have bought up enough light bulbs to last me a lifetime, so when some affordable real new light technology finally comes about I throw them out them, but no CFL's of LED's in this house.

I'm clueless about this swine flu shot. I've avoided these flu shots since they began, even when my last employer offered them for free I declined and I've become less sick over time by just being aware of the sick goofs around me at work or in the store who shouldn't even be out of the house and dressing properly in the cold weather. Avoiding kids is a big one! lol But this swine flu shot worries me, why are they so concerned with a virus that doesn't kill or spread anywhere near the level of the regular flu bugs? IDK If it gets to the point where the government is forcing you and/or your child to get the shot or else, then there is obviously more to the story.
By Chris @ 09/21/09 11:56:24 AMreport abuse
Traditional thermometers?
Even if you have one it wouldn't be handled as much lightbulbs. Its negligible till your pregnant wife drops one right on the tile right where you stand everyday to wash dishes. Oh and you have a ten month old crawling around the floor. Check the gov site on what to do if you break a cfl. I'll give you a hint. Ruuuuuuuuuuuuun! Clark Smart a oxymoron?
By C @ 09/20/09 11:21:45 PMreport abuse
Don't get jabbed with the swine flu vaccine
Swine flu is lab-created to cull the population. The vaccine is a nasty cocktail containing mercury and other disgusting garbage designed to induce disease and damage the immune system.
Protect and strengthen your immune system with vitamin D and colloidal silver.
This information is well documented and verifiable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHxHmHa9qvs

In a corrupt society, the truth can be found in what is forbidden to say.
By You have been warned @ 09/19/09 11:32:32 AMreport abuse
That's right, CFLs SUCK
They are a costly, mercury hazard that don't last anywhere near what they claim. A long-life incandescent bulb will outlast and outperform them with better light and no mercury for about 50 cents each. Power consumption is negligible, unless you have every light on in the house like Clark Howard does.
Hoard them while you can before the fascist gooberment makes them illegal in 2012.
By Let there be incandescent light! @ 09/19/09 10:22:48 AMreport abuse
cfl's suck. They don't last long as a regular bulb. Cost 5 times as much and the light output sucks.
By ME @ 09/18/09 05:12:07 PMreport abuse

CFLs

Do dimmable CFLs work on motion activated circuits?

By Gary Benton @ 09/22/09 06:14:37 AMreport abuse

CFLs not all they are cracked up to be!

check the facts- CFLs have MUCH shorter life span than advertised if constantly turned off and on, like many household bulbs.. they have a much higher failure rate out of the box, and if you lose one expensive bulb to failure your equation goes out the window; even modern CFLs are much less attractive and produce a much less pleasing light; manufacturers say that even "dimmable" CFLs are not really true dimming, they are stepped, and cannot produce the warm range that a dim incandecsent bulb can; older houses with dimmable lights are likely not able to use dimmable CFLs because they do not have proper wiring.. even if you can you will likely have to replace your dimmers at $10+ each, and a dimming CFL lasts much less tiem than a non-dimming CFL (verus incandescent, where dimmed lights can last years longer than non-dimmed); the lights even today take over a minuet to get up to full lumens- so they are not safe or useful in many applications, incandesents are instantaneous; and finally, CFLs do not work well in cold weather, so forget cold garages or outdoor lighting..
Go after the big industrial polluters (i.e. corporations) before taking away my old bulbs!

By RoastAK @ 09/21/09 07:22:53 PMreport abuse

Swine Flu

I am glad your daughter is better, but when did the symptoms become Swine Flu versus just the flu. What makes it different?

By bmbutler @ 09/21/09 03:35:52 PMreport abuse

Just great--I have a spotlight above my kitchen sink and bought one of the new CFLs to replace it. The CFL is slightly longer than the old one, not much, but just enough so that I can't open the cupboard door behind it!

By MaryQ @ 09/21/09 02:32:51 PMreport abuse

The new light bulbs scare me. I heard on a health radio show last year that the new bulbs emit EMFs (electromagnetic fields) that were used in the cold war to make enemys sick. Also, how is it that the market is big on promoting mercury-free thermometers, but it is suddenly okay to have mercury in all of the lights in your house? I refuse to buy the new bulbs. Every time I go to the dollar store I stock up on more of the good old-fashioned kind that have the added bonus of giving off heat - appreciated on those cold winter nights. The dollar store cannot keep the old bulbs stocked fast enough so I know I'm not the only one.

By Rick @ 09/21/09 01:39:56 PMreport abuse

CFL not bad?

epa.gov
* Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
* Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
* Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
* If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
* You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
* If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.
* Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
* Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
* Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

By C @ 09/21/09 01:35:00 PMreport abuse

CFL's are not bad

I early adopted with Clark the CFLs and was not too happy with the results. Recently, I gave it another shot and the new bulbs are far and away better than the previous incarnation. You should give them a try.

By Daniel @ 09/21/09 01:25:56 PMreport abuse

EU=PU

The EU stinks, I hope Europe is not a crystal ball of the US. I have bought up enough light bulbs to last me a lifetime, so when some affordable real new light technology finally comes about I throw them out them, but no CFL's of LED's in this house.

I'm clueless about this swine flu shot. I've avoided these flu shots since they began, even when my last employer offered them for free I declined and I've become less sick over time by just being aware of the sick goofs around me at work or in the store who shouldn't even be out of the house and dressing properly in the cold weather. Avoiding kids is a big one! lol But this swine flu shot worries me, why are they so concerned with a virus that doesn't kill or spread anywhere near the level of the regular flu bugs? IDK If it gets to the point where the government is forcing you and/or your child to get the shot or else, then there is obviously more to the story.

By Chris @ 09/21/09 11:56:24 AMreport abuse

Traditional thermometers?

Even if you have one it wouldn't be handled as much lightbulbs. Its negligible till your pregnant wife drops one right on the tile right where you stand everyday to wash dishes. Oh and you have a ten month old crawling around the floor. Check the gov site on what to do if you break a cfl. I'll give you a hint. Ruuuuuuuuuuuuun! Clark Smart a oxymoron?

By C @ 09/20/09 11:21:45 PMreport abuse

Don't get jabbed with the swine flu vaccine

Swine flu is lab-created to cull the population. The vaccine is a nasty cocktail containing mercury and other disgusting garbage designed to induce disease and damage the immune system.
Protect and strengthen your immune system with vitamin D and colloidal silver.
This information is well documented and verifiable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHxHmHa9qvs

In a corrupt society, the truth can be found in what is forbidden to say.

By You have been warned @ 09/19/09 11:32:32 AMreport abuse

That's right, CFLs SUCK

They are a costly, mercury hazard that don't last anywhere near what they claim. A long-life incandescent bulb will outlast and outperform them with better light and no mercury for about 50 cents each. Power consumption is negligible, unless you have every light on in the house like Clark Howard does.
Hoard them while you can before the fascist gooberment makes them illegal in 2012.

By Let there be incandescent light! @ 09/19/09 10:22:48 AMreport abuse

cfl's suck. They don't last long as a regular bulb. Cost 5 times as much and the light output sucks.

By ME @ 09/18/09 05:12:07 PMreport abuse

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Sep 18, 2009 -- Edison bulb ban in EU; Swine flu for Clark's daughter?

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What others are saying