Argument Outline

Light pollution is a topic that is not traditionally thought of a prominent environmental issue, but it has many major impacts on other well-known issues. The idea of changing old-school incandescent light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescents is a simple change that can help to combat light pollution, energy waste and overall savings for the average home. By exploring compact fluorescents, their benefits and the concerns associated with them, one can begin to see that in fact this change is necessary.


How much will be saved $ wise?
- “According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, if every U.S. household replaced just one regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, it would prevent 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the equivalent of taking 7.5 million cars off the road. And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that by replacing regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs at the same minimal rate, Americans would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year”

- “ . . . replacing one regular light bulb with an approved compact fluorescent light bulb would save consumers $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.”


** What about disposal? Is it worth the effort?
- Athens/Hocking Solid Waste District
Web site (does not go to actual website)
Cindy Sharpe
Administrative Coordinator
P.O. Box 2607
Athens, OH 45701
Telephone: (740) 797-4208
E-mail: Athens/Hocking SWD

- EPA document addresses the magnitude of mercury disposal and how to clean it up properly if something bad occurs.


Is the government doing anything to facilitate this change?
- The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, relate this article to the unpublished essay concerning full cut-off luminaries. This is how the government is trying to help . . . we should be asking for more (?) What about public buildings? Schools, libraries, police/fire stations . . . tax payers can demand energy efficient lighting if they will be paying for it. (They cost more at first, but they save energy and last longer.)