2007 Archives: Philips Alto II Green Lightbulb
Change your light bulbs, change your light bulbs, that seems to be the mantra of the green movement these days. Yes, we understand they’re better. They last eight-to-ten times longer than incandescent bulbs, use significantly less energy, and inspire virtual histrionics of “if, then” statistics like this one: If every American replaced one incandescent with a CFL, we could save more than $8 billion in energy costs, prevent burning 30 billion pounds of coal, and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions equal to that of two million cars. In contrast, incandescent bulbs are like an inefficient, energy PacMan, using only five percent of their total energy consumption to produce light (the remaining 95 percent produces heat).
But still we resisted. Since we hadn’t bought light bulbs since the pre-EcoStiletto dark ages, it seemed very anti-cradle to replace ‘em with new ones before the old ones stopped working. Then the news came out that each bulb contained up to five milligrams of mercury, a hazardous trace metal that is especially dangerous to children and pregnant women. What’s a girl to do? Continue to flip the switch on incandescent bulbs and make a big, fat contribution to global warming? Or buy something that depends on a toxic metal for its production and potentially releases that toxin into the environment once it’s disposed of? (Currently in America, only IKEA has an in-store fluorescent recycling program, but more are in the works).
Global manufacturing conglomerate Philips has the answer with the Alto ll light bulb, which contains only 1.7 milligrams of mercury per bulb. They developed a coating for the inside of the glass that helps it resist the absorption of mercury, then created a heat-triggered capsule that controls the release of the mercury into the lamp. Only 100 percent recycled mercury is used, and the company is working on ways to eradicate it completely.
Since energy-efficiency darling LEDs aren’t yet ready for primetime, and given that California is working on legislation that will ban the sale of conventional light bulbs by 2012 (seven other states have similar proposals in the works, not to mention Australia, where incandescent bulbs will be illegal by 2009), a fluorescent bulb seems to be in your future. Make it an Alto ll, and help us see the light.
