Why Is It So Hard to Go Green?

If you go to bulbs.com they have a recycling program that allows you to send the bulbs to them. I dont know if that helps at all. Best of luck.

Don't be too quick about getting rid of those light bulbs. Hold on to them for a while if you can. They shouldn't take up too much space.I have switched to the fluorescent bulbs also but I have heard some controversy about them and it is still under probe. One of the things I heard that they may cause skin rashes---and I seem to have sensitive skin and I don't know what is causing my rash. I may have to switch back to the regular light bulbs. So wait a while and see what is the good word on this topic.
M.

Question, do you have the space to put the bulbs in a pale or storage bin until you go out to IKEA...if you go that way once or twice a year and you have the space...put them in something you can put in your car and carry into the store easily...the point of the bulbs is that they last longer, so if they are doing their job, they shouldn't pile up too much. The idea of using plastic bags to discard them(while I understand it) seems to defeat the purpose of why you bought them in the first place...Another idea...why not goto your local home improvement store or even your town and request the facilities...I know office supply stores give a credit or $ for old ink cartridges...why not ask for the place you but the bulbs help with the recycling of them? I think it's great that you are trying to do what you can to go green...we(my family) do to....we bought the cloth bags so no more plastic(or at least a lot less), and we recycle as much as we can...my kids draw a picture, show me and put it right into the recycle bin(of course we save our favorites)...I think it's a great habit to teach...if you are interested I sell gold canyon candles and they have just come out with a green line of cleaning products...and they are great for the enviroment and smell a lot better than vineger and water. keep on doing what you're doing! Have a great day!

If you go to this website you can search by your zipcode for places to take the bulbs. http://earth911.org/

gloria...

J. I know what you mean. But you know what? The bulbs last ten years so by the time they run out there very well be a recycling area closer to you. So go for it. And in the meantime save money and help the planet.
cathy

Please do not drive and waste fuel. I would suggest calling your local waste management/landfills to see what services they offer in their hazordous waste department. That's what my town does and they offer recycling options once a month for things like that. Also, save them for a year and the next time you're at IKEA or possibly Home Depot (they may have a program; double check), take what you've saved and make that one trip. Also, check with your friends and maybe you can pool your bulbs together and request that someone take all the bulbs the next time they need to make that trip. You can all support eachother.

Hi I believe that Wal-Mart will soon, or might already, be accepting these bulbs. You'll want to call first so that you're not wasting gas if it's a long drive as well. Thank you for doing your part!

Thanks for the info on Atkins. I am clueless about recycling the bulbs and am curious to read other responses. I finally found someone who collects batteries in her store in Park Slope--I had saved about 20 batteries and finally threw them away (with so much psychic trauma) because I had nowhere to put them, and now I found the place. ARGHHH! It's a store on 5th Ave and Garfield that sells recycled things--very clever stuff--and other "green" items. My son is now wearing a bicycle chain bracelet, and I have a set of bamboo chopsticks.

yes it is true that most illnesses can be cured with changing our diet and lifestyle. I believe in home remedies myself which is using natural foods and spices. I'm glad you found a doctor that believes in the old ways and didn't put you on alot of medicine. I think if people went back to the basics there wouldn't be so much illness. You have your hands full with three children. I have a twenty year old daughter who is special needs and I have stayed home with her all her life and my husband and I are her caregivers. I do alot of research on the computer about different illnesses. I am a diabetic, have arthersis and pulomary lung diease and kidney diease. I take one day at a time and do whatever I can. My husband just retired after working thirty years for a company and he takes good care of me and our daughter. Take care and keep up the good work. You will be rewarded for your good deeds. B. T

Hi J.,
Do they have hazardous waste sites in your area?

I love Dr. Atkins! I went on his lifestyle of eating a few years back and never felt better. People have a misconception of his diet thinking they are not supposed to eat any carbs. That's not true of course. Then I went back to eating breads, pasta, etc. and got really sick. I found out I had celiac disease which is a wheat and gluten intolerance. I have a friend who lives in New Jersey (that's where I live too) who had Dr. Atkins as her family doctor and loved him. My daughter didn't suffer from asthma but had severe allergies and I went green with a great company which has great products that don't use any harsh chemicals or preservatives. Her allergies have been eliminated since! I love the products so much I started my own business referring customers to the company. It is my mission to help people by giving them a healthier alternative to store brand products which are making families, and their little ones very sick.

Thanks for your advise!

Hello--Bottom line is that the bulbs are great. We have them in every light socket in our home. We have had the same ones for almost 2-3 years. We have brought them from when we lived in our apartment. Yes, they do contain mercury and do need to be recycled properly, however, they last so long that you should not worry about making so many trips to the recycling place. We (knock of wood) have never had one break either. We have had one or two burn out and have recycled them. Two out of 30-35 is not bad and it really shows on our electric bill.
Hope this helps you!

Did you check into Household Hazardous waste? Also check to see if the local municipality has a listing of closer drop offs. I'm unaware of your location but in Monmouth county you can call Household HW and they'll tell you what is acceptable for dropoff.

http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/dispose-compact/#

try this link hope it helps

I have often asked the question myself, and I'm a trained environmental planner. One thing that I would do is call your local representative (Mayor, supervisor) and make it an issue. I would even attend a meeting and bring it up. Westchester passed a law recently to require that all public buildings have the new florecents, I do not know to what extent that it affect homeowners, but if I recall correctly, there is a certain date where shops have to stop selling incadecent bulbs. There are recycling places around our area of new york, because all florecent fixtures have mercury, and are required to be recycled. I think it is just a matter of getting something set up to make it easy for the local taxpayers to give the bulbs to our local goverments, and let them transport it...green issues are a tender spot in our area of the northeast, I bet with a little effort you can make a difference...and you just gave me a great idea to pursue for my Town!

Hi, please make sure that they are full spectrumcompact fluorescent bulbs. For more detailed information go to this url:
http://products.mercola.com/light-bulbs/

You should Call or Yahoo dearch your electric Company

because in CT Connecticut Light and power will come to your house and give you the bulbs for free and take the old ones with them,

you should give them a call,

M

Have the eco-friendly flouroscent bulbs already expired for you?

If not - I would wait til you get to that point to decide what to do.....I thought they lasted forever.....or a really long time at least.

We just bought a bunch of them to put all over our house.

Hi J.,
Recently, I was talking with a friend and she mentioned that her husband can take old batteries back his place of work. He's a chemist and knows all to well how batteries are being tossed into garbages.

Now, I've offered to take old batteries, ones that would've been tossed, to him.

Ask around. I would even send out notices to the parents of your students!

Kristen Colello

where I live, onondaga county, NY we have a recycling program. They have hazardus waste collections a few times a year. Contact your trash collector and ask them if they know of a close, and proper facility to dispose of the bulbs. amost people think they are doing good by using electric things, but they dont think about how that electric is produced.. by BURNING COAL. almost every state las less than 1% of the electric generated by "green" facilities. Also, those organic toters... who think they are doing nothing but good for the enviroment. They never think about how many extra high refridgerated trucks, high powered gas guzzeling trucks that are used to keep the food un tarnished. The People who judge you tend to be the most uneducated. Just unplug, turn off, and drive a bit less. It will make a difference. You are doing great. Sorry for the mispellings, I am typing with a squirmy toddler on my lap ;)