I’m finally back, with a really short post. It’s not like me to throw anything away, but today I tossed the incandescent lightbulbs I had stashed in my basement. I put them in a sturdy paper bag. I crushed them. I bagged the paper bag in a saved plastic bag and then I put the whole shebang into my brown Toter for pickup on Monday.
I had long suspected I should no longer use these old bulbs. I knew that incandescents, unlike fluorescents, contain no hazardous material requiring that they be brought to a collection center. I had been hoarding them in the hope that I could find out how to recycle them. In August the Sierra Club’s “Mr. Green” answered the question: “Is it better to use up old incandescent bulbs, or should I recycle them for LEDs instead?” In his answer he confirmed that yes, these bulbs are energy hogs and should never again be used. He also stated that the recycling value of incandescent bulbs is really low and he advised his readers to throw them out. So I finally did. You can read Mr. Green’s full response to this dilemma here.
When shopping for new bulbs, please take Mr. Green’s advice (and mine) and visit the Energy Star site for some excellent tips.
Have a great Saturday!
