Assuming we should do everything to save the planet that we can, environmentalists in Australia have convinced the powers that be that changing your light fixtures to compact fluorescent lightbulbs will make an impact on the environment and specifically on globally warming. What they didn’t tell you was:

• The program, which will supposedly save an average of 800,000 metric tons of CO2 per year adds up to only 0.21 percent of Australian emissions.
• Using the bulbs will reduce world emissions by 0.003 percent.
• The increase in the amount of coal that China will burn by 2020 is equivalent to 3 billion Ford Expeditions each driven 15,000 miles a year. (It would take Ford 15,000 years to sell that many Expeditions).

Unfortunately, these small changes really DO NOT make a difference. We need to look at the big picture and concentrate on solving the bigger and costlier environmental problems.

PS – Don’t forget that the compact fluorescent bulbs also contain mercury which is considered to be harmful in the environment as well.