Starting Now

Now It’s Even Easier to Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and Recycle for Free

Scott Thomsen Monday, November 10, 2008 04:45 PM
TAGS: HOME, energy, energy efficiency

In my job for Seattle City Light I attend a lot of community events to share the same energy conservation message THIS SPACE is dedicated to: simple steps can cut your electricity use and keep a few extra bucks in your pocket.

One of the best and easiest options is to switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. They use about a third of the electricity and last up to 10 years, which can save as much as $33 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
Image: Creative Commons, Flickr/Paul Keller

A common question that comes up is what a person can do once the bulb does burn out. Smart consumers recognize that there is a small amount of mercury in compact fluorescent bulbs – about the size of the head of a pin. 

There are many worse polluters, including coal-fired electricity production, but I understand that folks don’t want to be directly responsible for adding any more mercury into the environment. I also understand the desire to avoid paying a fee for doing the right thing. 

The good news is that your opportunities for recycling compact fluorescent bulbs FOR FREE are growing rapidly.

  • Seattle City Light started offering free recycling at its north and south service centers this summer.
  • Home Depot recently started free collection for recycling at all its stores.
  • Now Bartell Drugs is joining in at all its Seattle-area locations.
  • IKEA recycles bulbs and tubes for free.

If that doesn’t provide you with enough convenience, you can still check out King County’s Take It Back Network. The network lists numerous recycling locations, though they charge a fee.

It might be a while before you can take advantage of these services since the bulbs last so long, but when that time comes, this week’s ONE THING to do is to dispose of your burned out compact fluorescent light bulbs properly and buy more to replace them with.

Comments
Green Up Girl Kacey November 18, 2008

Thanks for getting the info out there...Go Seattle City Light.  Check this out!

HELP WANTED - Seattle City Light's Project Share and the Space Needle's TREE FOR ALL www.seattle.gov/light/help/share/

Project Share is a City of Seattle program that helps eligible families pay their electricity bills in times of crisis. Funds consist of customer donations. This year, the program has had to temporarily stop accepting requests for assistance because there were no funds available.

Project Share gets a welcome boost thanks to the Space Needle's new holiday tradition called The Tree for All. It works like this.

Coded vouchers (Project Share -TFA12) are being distributed to various charities taking part in Tree For All - including Project Share. For every voucher submitted with purchase of a full-price adult ticket to the Observation Deck between November 12th and December 24th, $5 will go directly back to the charity that referred the guest to the Space Needle. For every voucher submitted with purchase of a full-price senior or youth ticket to the Observation Deck, $2.50 will be donated to the referring charity.

The organization with the most vouchers submitted during the season will be presented with an additional $25,000 from the Space Needle family to be presented during KING-TV's live coverage at the "Quadrant Homes New Year's at the Needle" festivities on December 31.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the Space Needle ticket booth and online. Guests are encouraged to use their tickets during the holiday season, but all tickets purchased through this program will be honored for up to one year from time of purchase.

To learn more and download a voucher, see   www.seattle.gov/light/help/share/

To Purchase Space Needle tickets online as holiday gifts see

www.spaceneedle.com/visit/treeforall.html

and click on Project Share (Project Share -TFA12)

Please help families who need Project Share!

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