Sunday, February 2, 2014

Incandescent Lamps

J. Arthur Thomson. (Ed.).  The Outline of Science.  A Plain Story Simply Told.  Third Volume. 
New York & London:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, 1922.
After 135 years, the incandescent light bulb is on its way to extinction.  In Canada, as of January 1st, 75- and 100-watt bulbs are no longer being manufactured, with lower wattage bulbs to disappear at year's end.  In the U.S., January 1st saw the end of production of 60- and 40 watt bulbs.  Personally, I think that compact fluorescents, in spite of their greater energy efficiency, are a poor replacement.  In my own experience, they don't last as long, they don't operate well in cold environments (like my unheated barn), their mercury vapour requires them to be disposed of as toxic waste (while most people probably just toss them in the garbage), and they're much more expensive.  Don't get me going on another government "green" initiative--ethanol in gasoline.  Progress is fine.

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