For all you two-stroke earth killers out there...

[MarkA]

Especially the ones that don't use DFI or FI, like my engine, which has carburetors, I think I've found a way for you to make up for your sins. Some pennance if you will.

Now, if you believe that greenhouse gasses are killing the earth (actually, they are not, but you'll never convince a Kyoto protocol nutt-case that 98% of greenhouse gasses are water vaper, I digress), you can change one light bulb in your house and if we all did it, changed one lightbulb to a compact flourescent bulb, we could displace the polution made by 1,000,000 stinking, useless gas sucking cars and SUVs.

Now, you must know that everything that Mark does is to the extreme. So it started out small, yeah, one CFL to replace another. I had a pretty good source of CFLs that offered them for way less than market value, so I bought many of them. Now I needed some special application CFLs, like reflectors for recessed fixtures, and I needed some tiny mini ones for my ceiling fans, and I need some big-uns, and little uns and all sorts of 'ems. And some of these little bastards are expensive! The overhead lamps in my shower and bath were 60 watt floods, I replaced them with CFL reflectors that were ten bucks a crack, but they only use a paltry 11 watts to produce roughly the same amount of light.

It cost over 26 bucks to do my one ceiling fan with CFLs that had a covering to make them look like regualar bulbs for cosmetic purposes. I need five more of them to complete the job (I have a fan in the living room where I don't use the lights very often, but I'm replacing them anyway).

The ones that really save me money are the hidden ones that my wife and daughter leave running when we go to work and school. It is so easy to leave a closet light on, or a bathroom light, so I replaced all of those. I personally would never leave a light burning all damn day by accident.... Still, it was sound strategy to get those in the closets and bathrooms, because those are the ones that will be burning when I get home for lunch. And bitching at my wife just gets me cut-off, so I recommend these bulbs.

My real motivation for the interesting and informative post? OK, I quit dipping a couple of days ago cold turkey and I'm ready to whip some arse. Nicotine withdrawal is like being ill, so I'm self-medicating with these beers here.

Seriously, though, if you haven't considered CFLs for some of your home's lighting, or if they've always seemed too high, the price has come down, the technology has improved and they are more energy efficient than ever. I'm saving 25 percent on my electricity bill a month. That's some dough! Yeah, I spent a couple of hundred dollars swapping all the bulbs and changing a couple of fixtures, but it's gonna pay in the long run. And CFLs last 10 times longer than incandescents. Still, for dimming fixtures and a couple other appliations, standard bulbs might be best.

Good luck bulbing!

Mark

[trouty]

the salt water rusts the fittings on em?

Damn - you need to get to the ocean sometime soon Mark - them Texas dustdevils are playin havoc with ya brain there boy!

Tumbleweed itis..., too many road runners goin meep meep...

My advice?....Get yaself back to Floridah lad while theres still some viable grey matter left!

Them Texas gals sure is pretty but, eh?

Cheers!

[rainmaker]

Mark, I can sympathise(sp) with you on th quitting dipping. When I stopped smoking in 1991 I just threw them down and have never wanted another. I also did COPEHAGEN for a few years and that was one of the hardest things to stop. Hell for about a week I couldn't stand myself let alone anyone else around me. The wife threatened to kill me in my sleep but I did manage to stop in 1996 and have been "FREE" ever since! Congrtats on stopping and I'm going to Lowe's this morning to check on some bulbs to make amends for my two earth killers P.S. I wish that greenhouse effect would take ahold here in NC AS I AM SICK OF SNOW AND ICE

" GET THE GRADY "

[tidester]

If you really want to save some greenhouse gasses, calculate the power / fuel required for hot water for a family! Or the Heating and Cooling in your home.

Makes solar water heating and adding extra insulation very attractive!

I've got a couple of those fluorescent lights, but the cheapo's buzz or hum a bit. I moved them outside where the noise doesn't bother me.

Sorry to hear about your withdrawls. I tried to quit smoking cold turkey once. Stopped for a little while, then woke up, had some coffee and lit up! Anybody got a good way to keep the turkey lit?

[PeteH]

And I thought my wife and daughter were the only ones in the universe to leave every stinking light in the house on went they went away! And I'm the only control freak who thinks it's a waste of money and an irritation. Oh well, now there are two families in the universe that go through this.
Try the gum if you feel the need to dip again. It is outstanding, 'cept now I've been chewing nicorette for @ 14 months. I wonder what they'll come up with to help me kick the gum habit?
25% savings on the bill? Man if that's 80% true I'll take it. Couple of months and the flouros are paid for. Conservation of the wallet.

[ndb8fxe]

i thought that my wife was the only one that liked to leave all the lights on. anyway i picked up a couple four packs of the cf's for only $8 each at home depot. so at $2 a piece i thought i'd try it. i don't hear any buzzing like someone mentioned earlier. i got the 60 watt comparible, but the brighter bulbs are much more expensive, like 7-10 bucks a pop. anyway they seem to be working for me.

chris l.

[B-Faithful]

I would say switch to candles but the cost of those buggers (especially Yankees) are more than the electricity used in hallogen bulbs .


By the way,
I like the smell of my Carb two stroke in the morning.......

[This message was edited by SandyShoes on 02-22-03 at 02:46 PM.]