Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Both on and off topic here...

In one of the many examples of our current "republican" (smaller government, stays out of your life) getting all up in mine, the incandescent bulb will become illegal in as short as 4 years. Of course is sounds like a good idea, save for the small mercury spill we had last year into our carpet thanks to a broken bulb... but anyone ask the lizards?

Point: yes, I could move to a rank system with heating tape or run the UTH all day.

Counter Point: however, I found a system that works and our current geckos all have been brought up from wee babes with that system and I still can't find a male who's big enough to take on our girl.

Main point: How would you feel if one day the sun suddenly changed?

Anybody know of any petitions, grassroots campaigns, or exceptions to the rule? I can't find any... PS don't google it, people apparently use these instead of plant bulbs for certain growing conditions... illegal ones, they're mad... but too high to organize.

Help! I don't want to have to buy 15 years of bulbs in 2012.
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

Ugh, I see the point of that law for purposes of home lighting/reducing the energy footprint of the whole country, etc, but they really didn't consider all the angles on this one. Presumably the 70% more efficient idea means 70% less energy consumed for any given amount of light produced. Even if someone manages to make an incandescent bulb that complies with this, it will of course as a result produce about 70% less heat, making it much less useful for reptile keepers. People who keep diurnal reptiles needing basking spots should be even more up in arms than sleepy is; this really screws them up.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

For diurnal critters needing basking spots the CHEs might suffice. I don't know how high a temp you can get out od a 250 watt one but it's just a thought. Also heat panels may do the trick.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

But a ceramic heater doesn't emit visible spectrum. Let's all be honest, does the sun look like a 60hz fluorescent bulb or an incandescent bulb?

I don't know why it is all or nothing here in the US, but I wrote all my congresspeople (for what that isn't worth... blah.) There should at least be some exceptions... I wonder what zoos and pet stores with displays are going to transition to? Maybe, like some cities, we could get herp licenses, but instead they allow my precious lights!

Guess I'm just confused as to why the government (who makes ethanol from corn instead of, say, higher in sugar orange peels) thinks I should force my pets to change their environment to save a little bit of energy... seems like mixed priorities. Black market bulbs anyone?
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

The switch over really isn't that big of a deal. They make flourescent bulbs that look just like the incandescents we have now (light emitted). I believe Australia has already converted over, and they don't seem to be having a real problem with it. The purpose of this law is to save mercury from further entering the atmosphere. As for the spill of mercury on your carpet, the amount really isn't all that much. There was far more mercury in the old house thermometers than in that bulb. Plus, since a large proportion of the electricity in this country is created from coal, that releases far more mercury into the atmosphere than the flourescent bulbs. Each bulb has somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 mg of Hg. Not much. I'd just use a UTH, a radiant heat panel, or a CHE. If it's light you want, usea flourescent. By the way, not all incandescents are going to be banned. Just the ones that don't make the grade.
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0.2 Leopard Geckos (Fire and Mello)
0.0.1 Blue Tongue Skink (Smoot)

FYI, most of USA's power overall is from natural gas these days, unless you live in a state, like my own, with its own coal reserves... not really mercury being released there, I think you meant carbon? (I designed power plants for 2 years.)

I wonder though, since this bill doesn't seem very well thought out, at least what parts I can find on the internet, if CHE might not be banned as well. And not for any reasoning other than poor legislation being specific. Florescent can "look" like incandescent by being coated, sure, but then I'm now using two things (heat source and a light source) to replace my one multitasker. Personally, I'd rather go LEDs.

I guess I was looking to start a campaign of sorts and get more people to think about the affects this can have on animal care. It probably makes more of an impact on daylight species, perhaps I'll check the lizard general board instead.
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

There is a large amount of Mercury being released when coal is burned. It is a byproduct. And the US as a whole generates a significant amount of it's electrical power from coal-fired plants. I was just stating the fact that the amount of mercury in a flourescent bulb is nowhere near the amount released from a coal plant. Not to mention the fact that there are bulb recycling plants. I think there are other, better, more efficient ways to heat an enclosure. If you wish to continue this discussion, e-mail me so we do not clutter up the forum.
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0.2 Leopard Geckos (Fire and Mello)
0.0.1 Blue Tongue Skink (Smoot)

Just stock up, then sell them to reptile keepers at a nice profit.

Nevermind, forget I said that, I want to rake in the dough myself.
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