Every swirl sold will eliminate demand for six to eight regular bulbs.
Related StoriesIt was Lee Scott, Wal-Mart's CEO, who started Kerby and Lindsley thinking about lightbulbs. "Last fall," says Kerby, "we had had two hurricanes"--Katrina and Rita--"we had oil production disrupted, we had millions of people displaced in the South, and at a Friday officer's meeting not long after Katrina, Lee Scott said, 'Our customers are hurting, our customers' dollar is not going as far as it could.' He challenged everyone in the room to find relevant rollbacks, to lower the price of living and make a difference for our customers." (Wal-Mart-ers really talk that way among themselves.)
In the wake of Katrina, Scott had asked his staff for a briefing on environmental issues, including global warming. One of the people he sat down with was Hamburg, the Brown professor who has won an award from the EPA for his ability to explain climate change.
"It was a very frank conversation," says Hamburg. Not much of a Wal-Mart shopper, he had looked at one piece of Wal-Mart's environmental performance before. In 1994, he critiqued Wal-Mart's first environmentally sensitive store. "As I told Lee, it was a lot of green-wash. He needed to do better....I said, 'What really matters is what's on the shelves. Wal-Mart's influence is much greater in the marketplace than in the built environment.'"
Hamburg has been working with CFLs since the 1980s, so that subject naturally was on the table with Scott. "I think he knew what they were," says Hamburg. "I said, 'It's a very direct return to your consumers, and it has a big positive impact on reducing carbon emissions. So let's do it. You do it.'"
The spirals, you could say, were converging. After Scott's exhortation at the Friday officers meeting, Kerby did what a lot of Wal-Mart-ers do when they need to think and reconnect. He went shopping at Wal-Mart.
"I went across the street to #100," says Kerby. "I thought about what people rebuilding would need, I thought about energy costs, I filled the cart, and I brought it all back to the office. I challenged the buyers to look for ways to save money on these important products." One item in his cart: a three-pack of GE compact fluorescents, 60-watt equivalents, for $9.58--$3.19 each. You could buy three four-packs of classic GE 60-watt bulbs for that price, 12 regulars for the price of one spiral.
To Diane Lindsley, her boss's point was crystal clear. "I called GE," says Lindsley. "We started negotiating."
Within two weeks, the price on a three-pack of GE spirals at Wal-Marts across the country was "rolled back" to $7.58. It was a 21% cut--although the bulbs were still $2.53 each, 10 times the cost of an ordinary bulb. The agreement with GE was for a 90-day price cut, to help out after Katrina.
Did it make a difference in CFL sales?
"Absolutely," says Lindsley. "Faster than I've ever seen it before. In days."
Then, in late October, says Kerby, "Our friend Oprah had a segment on her show talking about CFL lightbulbs. We didn't ask her to do that or anything. But there certainly is an Oprah factor out there. That show led to a tremendous sales increase in the category that we have maintained to this day." Month over month, Lindsley is selling double the number of spirals she did before Katrina.
It was a perfect swirl: Katrina, Rita, $70-a-barrel oil, price-chopping, corporate consciousness-raising, with Oprah's lightbulb club thrown in.
"What had started as, 'Let's do something to help the consumer for 90 days,' well, it became obvious this wasn't a 90-day strategy," says Kerby. "World events had changed the lightbulb category. The time had come for the energy-saving lightbulbs. It was going to be a different kind of product going forward."
Incandescent lightbulbs and spiral lightbulbs make light in entirely different ways, and it is that difference that makes spirals so potent. In a classic 60-watt incandescent bulb, light comes from the little metal filament quivering inside the sealed glass bulb. Electricity passes through the metal thread, heating it to 2,300 degrees Celsius, and the filament glows with the heat and throws off light. Electricity creates heat, heat creates light. It's why incandescent bulbs are so hot--the glass is often 300 degrees. In the trade, incandescents are sometimes known as "a hot wire in a bottle."
Compact fluorescents are something else again. In a fluorescent bulb, the glass tube is filled with gas and a tiny dot of mercury. Electricity leaps off electrodes on either end of the tube and excites the mercury molecules, which have a special property: When so excited, they emit ultraviolet light. That invisible UV light strikes the bulb's phosphor coating, which itself gets excited and emits visible light, which shines out through the tube. Heat is much less of a factor--CFLs run at about 100 degrees.
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Recent Comments | 27 Total
April 30, 2008 at 4:02pm by Phyllis Brown
I would like to know if these CFL bulbs are harmful if they break. Also how do you dispose of them. I understand they have mercury in them.
June 20, 2008 at 3:34pm by Carolyn Sampson
There's information about that at the U.S. Department of Energy/Energy Star website. Go to Energystar.gov and click on Contact Us and then Find/ASk a question about Energy Star. In the list is a question that says "How do I dispose of CFLS?" And "How do I clean up a broken CFL?"
November 23, 2008 at 12:04pm by Papa Giorgio
New & Old Info:
There’s a lot most people don’t know about compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The advertising message tells people that CFLs are “green” solutions that will help save the planet, and a few bucks on household electric bills. It’s also a common belief that the bulbs last five years between replacements. This notion probably stems from the 5- year guarantee on GE’s CFL bulbs. Here’s the catch: The guarantee is based on 4 hours of use per day for five years, and the bulb must be mailed back with receipt and proof of purchase for a refund if it fails to last 7,300 hours. The price of postage may exceed the cost of replacing the bulb and this expense is borne by the consumer. Probably not many get sent back, but anecdotal evidence suggests that they do not last the advertised five years under normal conditions. Some have been reported to burn out in a year or less.
CFLs, as many consumers have discovered to their dismay, do not function properly with dimmer switches. They need the full voltage to operate and attempting to use a CFL with a dimmer switch voids it’s warranty.
According to GE, CFLs should not be used in an enclosed fixture, like a ceiling fan light because this can cause them to overheat. Applications that produce vibration should also be avoided, so CFLs are a poor choice for garage door openers and are doubly bad for ceiling fans. Additionally, CFLs tend to literally burn out at the end of their life, melting plastic and other components, emitting smoke and toxic vapor. In rare instances this has led to house fires.
Compact fluorescent lights are known to cause radio frequency interference with wireless networks and cordless phones.
Beginning in 2012, thanks to a new federal law enacted in 2007, Edison’s incandescent light bulb, the very symbol of American innovation for over a century will be banned. Many people are unaware of the approaching light bulb ban, probably due, at least in part to the fact that Congress designed the ban to take effect seven years after it was passed. Compact fluorescent lights will soon be the only electric lighting option for household use.
Most people have heard that CFLs contain mercury, but they’ve probably also heard the message from CFL manufacturers and some government agencies that the amount of mercury in each CFL is small and not a serious concern.
Let’s take a look at what the EPA has to say about mercury and then a specific look at what they say about CFLs.
General Information From Mercury Response Book (for Emergency Responders)
Adverse human health effects can result from acute or chronic exposure to mercury. Exposure occurs primarily through inhalation, and to a lesser extent through skin absorption or ingestion. Acute exposure to high levels of elemental mercury vapor can affect the brain and the central nervous system. Exposure to high levels of mercury vapor can also cause symptoms such as irritation to the lining of the mouth, lungs, and airways; increased blood pressure and heart rate; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; skin rashes; eye irritation; and a condition known as acrodynia. Acrodynia is a syndrome characterized by red peeling skin, especially on the hands, feet, and nose. Exposure may also include symptoms such as weakness, fretfulness, sleeplessness, excessive salivation or sweating, itching, swelling, fever, memory loss, and elevated blood pressure.
Even a small amount of mercury remaining in a room after a spill can continue to evaporate slowly over time, resulting in elevated concentrations of mercury in the air, thus presenting the threat of chronic exposure. Symptoms of chronic exposure to elemental mercury include personality changes (irritability, shyness, nervousness); tremors; vision changes; deafness; lack of muscle coordination; loss of sensation; and memory difficulties. For pregnant women, mercury exposure is of particular concern because mercury readily passes across the placenta and can accumulate in higher concentrations in the developing fetus. Young children also are susceptible to the effects of mercury because it affects the central nervous system, which is still developing in the first few years of life. Even low levels of mercury exposure have been associated with learning problems in children. Mercury absorbed through the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, or the skin can accumulate in the brain and kidney, and it is excreted slowly from the body. Because mercury can accumulate in the kidneys, the kidneys are particularly sensitive to damage. Exposure to mercury can be verified by testing blood, urine, or hair samples. Individuals who have elevated levels of mercury in their body can be treated with “chelating agents” to increase the rate of excretion of mercury from the body (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ATSDR, Toxicological Profile for Mercury, Update, March 1999).
February 1, 2009 at 9:30am by A CFCL Fan
Last time I was in Wal-mart, I did not see a place to drop off my used CFCL bulbs for recycling. Has this changed?
March 10, 2009 at 9:30pm by David O'Keefe
The WellnessLight saves you money AND keeps your air cleaner.
July 19, 2009 at 10:40am by Robert Tucker
Charles Fishman's article "How Many Light Bulbs....." tells me one thing for certain. Mr. Fishman is most certainly a member of the "green" movement to whom facts are irrelevant. I've been building my own new home for the past two years and in 2007 I started populating it with CFLs. The bulbs used are from several different manufactures and are recent technology. They have one thing in common. They don't last as advertised. I have no basis of comparison to calculate energy savings but as of July 2009, fully one third of the bulbs have been replaced due to failure. Considering the initial expense of the bulbs, the disposal problems and the replacement costs, it would have been much more friendly to the planet to have used incandescent bulbs. The bottom line: A product's claim to be "green" has no bearing on its impact to the environment.............
July 26, 2009 at 12:59pm by Gary Kleier
Where can I buy a CFL that is made in America. I find it ironic that these supposedly environmentally correct bulbs are made in China, one of the most polluted and polluting countries in the world.
August 29, 2009 at 2:00pm by andrei mihnea
All of the bulbs in my place are CF’s. It especially helps in the summer. When using air conditioning, you have to pay for the energy twice. Once, to operate the bulb; the seocnd time, to pump the heat out of the house. We just replaced them one by one, as they burned out. And they really do last a long time. masini de inchiriat | bijuterii
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September 8, 2009 at 8:02am by ana can
Is there any way to dispose of CFLS? hostgator coupon
September 8, 2009 at 8:03am by ana can
Is there any way to dispose CFLS? hostgator coupon
September 9, 2009 at 5:01pm by
How about LED bulbs?Less heat, no mercury and a theoretical lifespan of 30+ years.And prices on them are dropping fast.I currently have a half dozen 48bulb led lights in my home.All together, they use less electricity than 1 CFL. And put out about 3 times the light.(just not as much DIFFUSED light)Each 48bulb led light uses less than 3watts (around 2.3watts to be exact)Just like CFL's the more units people buy, the cheaper they will get.
September 14, 2009 at 6:51pm by Anna Cruz
The problem I have with CFL is that most don't work if you have dimmable switches. I understand that there are some available that you can use, but I have yet to find them in the stores. Log Cabins
September 29, 2009 at 2:24am by john crew
For sure more than 1000 billions :)
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October 1, 2009 at 1:04am by Mike Oswell
In truth, immediately i didn’t understand the essence. But after re-reading all at once became clear.
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October 2, 2009 at 2:38pm by joe johnson
everything is costing to much money now. The economy is effecting all people in a different way. I really like your insight in this article..
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October 8, 2009 at 9:50am by Elaine os
wow impressive, it goes to show the more people want to help our planet the easier the results become. When it comes to high personal bills in the home the following saving energy tips should more than assist those who need it.
October 10, 2009 at 12:22pm by charlie woods
Thank you a pleasant read, interesting and informative.
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October 11, 2009 at 3:55pm by Michael Jameiosn
It's amazing how little energy these blubs use.
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October 18, 2009 at 11:19am by Bogdan Martinescu
I think super bright led lights will be the best replacement of CFL.
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October 19, 2009 at 6:21am by Bogdan Martinescu
The bulbs used are from several different manufactures and are recent technology. They have one thing in common. They don't last as advertised. Modele case
October 27, 2009 at 10:53pm by Richard Lewis
Yeah - well in reality, we have a better understanding of printplace coupon code then ever.
October 28, 2009 at 2:02am by Martin Podjski
For a more environmentally friendly bulb, and it still costs reasonable, these ones,
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_hi?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tools&field-br...
are designed to be that way. The page says that they: "Clear-Lite Natural Light ECO CFLs are designed to be Earth Friendlier and use Premium Components such as Lead Free Glass, Lead Free PC Board, Lead Free ECO Base and Amalgam (like the dental filling component, but not the more dangerous mercury that most bulbs have)". And it seems they are much better for the environment. I started buying these cause of the horror stories I heard of cleaning up the mercury if one of these bulbs breaks, not in a landfill, but in your kids room of your house. It seems ones like these are the safest option I found, and still reasonably priced.
I’ve also found Litetronics brand that also advertises low mercury and environmental friendly, although I haven’t checked them out too much yet. I already ordered the other brand, but I may try these, too.
One of these forums should put an article out and review only CFL bulbs that are lower mercury and more environmental friendly. NOT an article on why CFL bulbs are great, but which CFL bulbs are lower mercury and how these ones perform. So far these are the only 2 brands I know of that are lower mercury.
That’s a big thing I consider, since breaking one of these inside of my house, and putting mercury directly into my room, isn’t something I want to deal with, or at least I want a bulb with the least mercury in it. Being environmental friendly gives me a good feeling, but putting something that contains mercury into my house, in an ordinary lamp that could get knocked down and break the bulb, isn’t something that makes me feel good.
October 28, 2009 at 9:29am by Tommy Lansman
i am sure the Lightbulbs change the world! it's economy and longlife bulbs.
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November 22, 2009 at 4:10am by Michael Zietler
I purchased a couple WellnessLight Kids CFLs last month while in Toronto and without sounding like a company spokesperson ... TRULY AMAZED! I was so intrigued I started reading about the product and technology online and came across these postings. I must admit, my wife talked me into purchasing this type of CFL. Ordinarily I would go for the least expensive to fill the void. However, in this case, we have spent thousands of dollars on expensive air cleaners, HEPA filters, ionic breeze, you name it. Nothing worked or works as well as these CFL for keeping the air clean. All these people so concerned about mercury should be more concerned about what their family is breathing in their home. I can assure you, it is far more dangerous than 3 milligrams of mercury. If you spend a few minutes reading the EPA papers on exposure to indoor air pollution - Scary! Better than a good Steven king book! Rarely would I take the time to promote a product, however, in this case - Home Run!