Dim future for bright idea

Jan 20 2008 by Ken Oxley, Sunday Sun

MAYBE it’s just because the days are so dark in January, but I’ve been thinking a lot about lightbulbs.

The old sort. The ones that actually gave out light.

When the new low-energy ones came out a few years ago I was largely in favour.

Apart from anything else, they would save you money.

But, as always, if it seems too good to be true, it is.

Anyone who’s actually used these things knows the reality of this brave new world.

They give off about as much light as a bad candle on a foggy day.

Used in a hallway or on the landing they could result in you missing your footing.

Having tripped down two stairs myself while holding a scalding hot cup of coffee as a result of one of these monstrosities, a friendly word to any green maniacs. Save some more energy by not writing to me about it.

You can’t use these bulbs in a lamp controlled by a variable rheostat or dimmer switch, and now the Environment Agency has drawn our attention to the fact that they contain mercury.

So, if one breaks, small amounts of mercury could be released into the room. The room needs to be vacated for at least 15 minutes.

You shouldn’t vacuum up the debris. And you shouldn’t put them into your household refuse . . . you should take them to a waste disposal site, if your council is equipped to deal with them.

The Government is withdrawing all normal lightbulbs from sale by 2011 in another attempt to nanny state us out of existence.

Until the environmentalists come up with a low-energy bulb that actually illuminates things, I’m doing what everyone else is doing . . . stockpiling the old bulbs while they are still available.

If it’s light enough to see what you’re doing, form a queue at your local check-out.