An Inconvenient Truth about CFLs - Too Much Hype, Not Enough Performance.
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With more hocus pocus and huckstering than HOUDINI — COMPACT FLOURESCENT BULBS burst onto the scene as a panacea product that would cost less to use while savings in electricity and consequently the planet. Now it seems reliability problems and much, much less than the promised 10,000 hour lifespan have many disappointed and disinterested too.
Prices have plummeted on the ballyhooed bulbs but, if they quickly burn out, as some do consumers get the shaft. Propaganda films like Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” convinced many to swap to swap their “wasteful” light bulks for the curvy cue wonders.
Manufacturers say quality control is high but admit that the 40-50 components parts required for CFLs do cause problems.
The University of California - Davis’ lighting center says that “in the pursuit of the holy grail we stepped on consumers.” A Pacific Gas and Electric blames problems on “aggressive goals in California we have to be pushing all the time” says an Associated Press report.
Compared to schemes like CAP AND TRADE getting swindled out of a sawbuck is not much of anything. But it is symptomatic of an almost expected consequence of bad science and worse planning.
CFL’s will likely be improved and perhaps deliver at least part of their promise. As always CAVEAT EMPTOR - buyer beware.