Thursday, April 23, 2009

"Go Green": God's way!

God Owns the Creation

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters." (Psalm 24:1-2; cf. Psalm 89:11; 1 Corinthians 10:26)


God Sustains the Creation

"In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10)

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:17)

"He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth." (Psalm 104:10-14)

"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." (Hebrews 1:3)


God's Concern for Animals

"And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you." (Genesis 6:19)

"Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may have relief." (Exodus 23:12; cf. Deuteronomy 5:14)

"You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." (Deuteronomy 25:4)

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight." (Luke 12:6; cf. Matthew 10:29)


Command to Care for Creation

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15)

"The land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and garner their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the Lord.... The land is to have a year of rest." (Leviticus 25:2-5; cf. Exodus 23:10-11)

"If you besiege a town for a long time, making war against it in order to take it, you must not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them. Although you may take food from them, you must not cut them down. Are trees in the field human beings that they should come under siege from you?" (Deuteronomy 20:19)


Man is to rule over Creation as a (temporary) steward

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:26)


Humans Have Defiled the Land (through their sin)

"How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished." (Jeremiah 12:4)

"There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying." (Hosea 4:1-3)

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." (Romans 8:22)


Consequences of Defiling the Land

"He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a saltwaste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there." (Psalm 107:33-34)

"Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. The LORD almighty has declared in my hearing: 'Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine, a homer of seed only an ephah of grain.'" (Isaiah 5:8-10)

"The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish together with the earth. The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth; its inhabitants suffer for their guilt." (Isaiah 24:4-6)

"You have polluted the land with your whoring and wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come." (Jeremiah 3:2-3)


Creation Testifies of the Creator

"Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10)

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4; cf. Psalm 97:6)

"Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)


Because of sin, God will burn it all up

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" (2 Peter 3:10-12)


God will destroy this old, cursed Earth and will make it all brand-new

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea." (Revelation 21:1)

19 comments:

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

'Humans Have Defiled the Land (through their sin)'

'God will destroy this old, cursed Earth and will make it all brand-new

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea." (Revelation 21:1)'

I agree and at the same time attempt to live enviro friendly.:)


NHL

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

I too still have the Blogger HTML error at times. I just had it on thekingpin68 answering comments, but I use the HTML space code as well and other markers when needed. I hope my first comment posted properly...if not blame blogger, as it looked correct in the preview.:)

Jeff said...

Thanks, Russ. It looks like it posted fine to me.

nitewrit said...

Jeff,

Thirty years ago, when I saw the things the Bible said were to come and then it said men still would deny God, I wondered how could one not see it. Now I see people being constantly bombarded with the crises of glogal warming, as if man has the power to destroy the planet. I believe God controls the future of this planet and that the effort to promote global warming is preparation to not attribute the judgements of God to God. The events of Revelation 16 sound like the very things these people attribute to global warming.

Larry E.

Jeff said...

Larry,

I completely agree. I also think that the Global Warming lie is about money (bringing money to certain companies), politics (i.e., Al Gore and others), and I suspect that it ties in with the one-world government that Obama and others are pushing us toward (though it did not start with Obama, he has rapidly and forcefully increased the move toward it).

Just minutes ago on the news on TV, they were talking about how people were committing suicide because of the economy. I think the term they dubbed it with was 'econocide.' Luke 21:26 talks about men's hearts failing them for fear, though admittedly, the events it refers to are things that sound much worse than what we have seen so far.

Jeff said...

Speaking of Global Warming and man trying to 'Go Green' and 'Save the Earth, a Facebook friend asked, "What I am supposed to do with those squiggly light bulbs when they burn out?"

Those "squiggly light bulbs" are called CFLs. Though CFLs (Compact Flourescent Light bulbs) may be energy-efficient, they are very poisonous to humans. Make sure that you don't break one, or else you have to clear out all people and animals from the room. All CFLs contain mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause kidney and brain damage.

From MSNBC:
The amount is tiny — about 5 milligrams, or barely enough to cover the tip of a pen — but that is enough to contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, extrapolated from Stanford University research on mercury. Even the latest lamps promoted as “low-mercury” can contaminate more than 1,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels.

Eventually, any bulbs — even CFLs — break or burn out, and most consumers simply throw them out in the trash. There is an enormous amount of mercury that’s going to enter the waste stream at present with no preparation for it. CFLs should be handled carefully and recycled to limit dangerous vapors and the spread of mercury dust. But guidelines for how to do that can be difficult to find. And, once in a landfill, bulbs are likely to shatter even if they’re packaged properly. From there, mercury can leach into soil and groundwater and its vapors can spread through the air, potentially exposing workers to toxic levels of the poison.

One woman went to change a CFL bulb, and it fell to the floor and shattered. She called government agencies and even poison control, and nobody knew what to tell her. The state eventually referred her to a private cleanup firm, which quoted a $2,000 estimate to contain the mercury. After she complained publicly about her predicament, state officials changed their recommendation: Simply throw it in the trash, they said. That was the wrong answer, according to the EPA. It offers a detailed, 11-step procedure you should follow: Air out the room for a quarter of an hour. Wear gloves. Double-bag the refuse. Use duct tape to lift the residue from a carpet. Don’t use a vacuum cleaner, as that will only spread the problem. The next time you vacuum the area, immediately dispose of the vacuum bag.

Consumers bought more than 300 million CFLs in 2007, according to industry figures, but they may be simply trading one problem (low energy-efficiency) for another (hazardous materials by the millions of pounds going right into the earth).

New York, California, Florida and Minnesota, plus five New England states and a growing number of local governments now require that all CFLs be recycled.

All fluorescent lamps do not contain the same amount of mercury. Philips lamps with Alto Lamp Technology, for instance, contain less mercury than conventional fluorescent lamps. Philips claims the bulbs have the lowest amount of mercury of any bulb on the market at less than 3.8 mg per bulb. To achieve this, Philips uses a specially developed mercury capsule which ensures the exact amount of mercury is placed in a tiny glass capsule which is attached to the lamp cathode. To purchase the new 'Alto' CFLs, go here: http://www.eartheasy.com/shop/lighting_cfl.html

Also, one website said this: Burned out CFLs can be dropped off at Home Depot and Ikea stores. Another solution is to save spent CFLs for a community household hazardous waste collection, which would then send the bulbs to facilities capable of treating, recovering or recycling them. For more information on CFL disposal or recycling, you can contact your local municipality.

However, LED (Light Emitting Diode) light bulbs have NO mercury. LED bulbs last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents, and far longer than typical incandescents. Since LEDs do not have a filament, they are not damaged under circumstances where a regular incandescent bulb would be broken. Because they are solid, LED bulbs hold up well to jarring and bumping. These bulbs do not cause heat build-up; LEDs produce 3.4 btu's/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs. LED light bulbs use only 2-10 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of Incandescent or CFL) Small LED flashlight bulbs will extend battery life 10 to 15 times longer than with incandescent bulbs. Also, because these bulbs last for years, energy is saved in maintenance and replacement costs. For example, many cities in the US are replacing their incandescent traffic lights with LED arrays because the electricity costs can be reduced by 80% or more.

Although LEDs are expensive, the cost is recouped over time and in battery savings. For the AC bulbs and large cluster arrays, the best value comes from commercial use where maintenance and replacement costs are expensive. Because of the low power requirement for LEDs, using solar panels becomes more practical and less expensive than running an electric line or using a generator for lighting. When choosing a bulb, read the package to choose desired illumination level. For example, a 3W LED is equivalent in output to a 45 W incandescent. New LED bulbs are available in 'cool' white light, which is ideal for task lighting, and 'warm' light commonly used for accent or small area lighting. LEDs are available in several types of 'pin' sockets or the standard "screw' (Edison) bases for recessed or track lighting.

The common styles of LED bulbs include Recessed/Track bulbs, Diffused bulbs and Spotlight and Floodlight LEDs. LEDs do not contribute to heat buildup in a room because no matter how long they remain on, they do not get hot to the touch. Also, because they are 90% more efficient than incandescants, the frequency of changing bulbs is greatly reduced. You can buy both CFLs and LEDs here: http://www.eartheasy.com/shop/lighting.htm

For home-use LED bulbs, also check out:

http://www.ledtronics.com/

http://www.besthomeledlighting.com/

http://www.eternaleds.com/

http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-03490-Nanolux-1-Watt-White/dp/B000UQ0HX4

http://www.1greenproduct.com/2009/02/lighting-home-pharox-led-light-bulb.html

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/led_bulb_replac.php

Average life span equivalent to a 60 watt bulb:
LED: 50,000 hours.
CFL: 8,000 hours.
Incandescent: 1,200 hours.

That same LED only uses 6-8 watts (less power), helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and lower electric bills.
The same CFL uses 13-15 watts, and the incandescent uses 60 watts.

The annual operating cost of those same bulbs?:
LED: $32.85/year (329 KWh/yr).
CFL: $76.65/year (767 KWh/yr).
Incandescent: $328.59/year (3285 KWh/yr).

Out of the 3 types, ONLY CFLs contain the TOXIC Mercury. ONLY CFLs are NOT RoHS compliant (since CFLs contain 1mg-5mg of Mercury and are a major risk to the environment).

The carbon dioxide emissions are less in the LED bulbs.
LED: 451 pounds/year.
CFL: 1051 pounds/year.
Incandescent: 4500 pounds/year.

Out of the 3 types, LEDs are the ONLY one that is not sensitive at all to low temperatures or humidity, and the ONLY one which lifespan is NOT at ALL affected by switching it on and off quickly.

Also, CFLs are the ONLY one that takes time to warm up; the other 2 types turn on instantly. The LED bulbs are very durable (can handle jarring and bumping), but the other two types are NOT very durable. The LED has no typical failure mode; incandescent bulbs have some failure mode; and CFLs definitely have a failure mode and may catch on fire, or may smoke or emit an odor.

CFLs also give off UV radiation that can cause headaches. They may emit up to 200 times the 'dirty energy,' or radiation, of the incandescent bulbs. New studies have shown that CFLs can be problematic for people with certain skin conditions.

In Canada, one memo from BC Hydro to the B.C. Utilities Commission stated that the switch-over to CFL bulbs is causing people to turn up the heat in Fall and winter. In the report and speaking to CBC, BC Hydro said CFLs DO INCREASE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS because of the loss of heat coming from incandescent light bulbs throughout people’s homes. A spokesperson for the Recycling Council of B.C. said it was CFL bulbs ending up in the landfill that people should be more concerned about — not plastic bags. Health Canada also warns that people with lupus, light sensitivity and people prone to headaches may find ill effects from the UV radiation coming from CFLs.

So to recap, according to tests done by scientists, CFLs emit 200 times the radiation as the old bulbs; cause some people headaches; others with skin conditions, red rashes and possible aches and pains depending on sensitivity levels.
They put more mercury into the environment than any other type of bulb — yet the Canadian government wants every mall, office and home to be full of CFLs by 2012.

Jeff said...

It sure seems like we are at the doorstep of the Last Days as foretold in Revelation. Events are ripe for a one-world government to be established. Merely looking at the news on Yahoo.com, I see these:

Global recession worst since Depression, IMF says

Quote: "This looks like the most synchronized recession in world history: We are all going down together," said David Wyss, chief economist of Standard and Poor's.

10 Countries in Deep Trouble

Foreclosure leaders focused on 4 states in new metro list

Jeff said...

Will this soon be the case?:
"Then I heard something that sounded like a voice coming from the middle of the four living creatures. The voice said, "A quart of wheat for a day's pay, and three quarts of barley for a day's pay, and do not damage the olive oil and wine!" (Revelation 6:6)

Footnote:
One quart of wheat would be enough for only one person. Three quarts of the less-nutritious barley would be barely enough for a small family. The cheaper and less-nutritious grain, bought by the laborer who could not buy enough wheat for his family with his day's wages, therefore, buys barley. Famine and inflation are implied here.

Billions at risk from wheat super-blight - environment - New Scientist

Stem rust - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great Googly Moogly! said...

I think the Bible speaks more to the idea of the redemption of the heavens and earth in that at the return of Christ, the curse will be completely removed and God's "good" creation will be restored.

The idea of the New Heavens and New Earth is, in my opinion, more Biblically associated with the redemption and recovery of the current heavens and earth. The things that will be "burned up" are the "unredeemable" aspects of our human activity. The Bible speaks of redemption as being cosmic in scope and that as we are not obliterated and re-created (we are changed, but not re-made), so also God's good creation will not be obliterated and re-created from nothing.

I believe the Bible teaches that God made this place for us for eternity and once he removes sin and its effect, this place will once again be our home only without respect to sin.

Christ did not come just to be a personal Savior; He came to recover and restore all things in Himself. The Bible does not, in my opinion, leave anything out of the realm of Christ's redemption and recovery. He redeems it all...not every individual, of course, but Man, the heavens and the earth--every facet of creation that has been tainted by sin is, I believe the Bible teaches, recovered in Christ.

And this is why it is so irresponsible for human beings made in God's image (and especially Christians) to not be concerned about our planet. We especially should be good stewards of the earth because we know its Creator and we understand that He made this place for us. He made all things to exist in harmony together and we should respect that and be good caretakers of the place God calls our home.

Of course, this is not a matter of orthodoxy (either way is fine with me); but I believe this view upholds the continuity that the Bible presents with regard to God's purpose for His creation and Christ's redemption of it.

Anyway, some food for thought, so-to-speak.

Two good books on the continuity of this earth once redeemed are:

"Heaven is a Place on Earth: Why Everything you do Matters to God" by Michael Wittmer

"Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling" by Andy Crouch

GGM

Jeff said...

Thanks, GGM.

My understanding is that there will be a complete and total disintegration, because all of nature is cursed because of sin, and there will be a brand-new earth. 2 Peter 3:10: "...the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up." Revelation 21:1, "...the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea." It sure sounds like a pretty complete and total destruction of the universe as we know it, to me. According to Revelation 21:2, the New Jerusalem will not be a remodeling of something on this earth, but will be something brand-new, created from scratch: "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." Isaiah 65:17 seems to confirm that everything will be destroyed and remade from scratch: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind."

Jeff said...

The Bible says that the earth is cursed. God does not simply remove sin. Sin has to be paid for. Christ did not die for the earth. Therefore it must be completely destroyed.

Jeff said...

Also, 2 Peter 3:7, "By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:11, "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness." 2 Peter 3:12b, "the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!"

GGM, I agree with you when you say:


And this is why it is so irresponsible for human beings made in God's image (and especially Christians) to not be concerned about our planet. We especially should be good stewards of the earth because we know its Creator and we understand that He made this place for us. He made all things to exist in harmony together and we should respect that and be good caretakers of the place God calls our home.

Jeff said...

I agree that we should be good stewards of this earth which God has temporarily put in our care. However, there is a huge difference between being good stewards and believing the 'global warming' lie that politicians have put forth. The 'Going Green' campaigns put money in politician's pockets, in the pockets of certain companies which may soon become global monopolies (backed by those same politicians), are another piece of the puzzle leading to a one-world government, and, possibly worst of all, puts the outcome of the future in man's hands instead of in God's hands.

Jeff said...

"Richard S. Courtney is an independent consultant on matters concerning energy and the environment. He is a technical advisor to several UK MPs and mostly-UK MEPs. He has been called as an expert witness by the UK Parliament’s House of Commons Select Committee on Energy and also House of Lords Select Committee on the Environment. He is an expert peer reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and in November 1997 chaired the Plenary Session of the Climate Conference in Bonn. In June 2000 he was one of 15 scientists invited from around the world to give a briefing on climate change at the US Congress in Washington DC, and he then chaired one of the three briefing sessions. His achievements have been recognized by The UK’s Royal Society for Arts and Commerce, PZZK (the management association of Poland’s mining industry), and The British Association for the Advancement of Science. Having been the contributing technical editor of CoalTrans International, he is now on the editorial board of Energy & Environment. He is a founding member of the European Science and Environment Forum (ESEF)."
From: http://www.globalwarmingheartland.com/expert.cfm?expertId=135

Richard Courtney states:
"All available evidence indicates that man-made global warming is a physical impossibility, but if the predicted warming could be induced it would probably provide net benefits. However, there is a widespread imagined risk of the warming and politicians are responding to it."

"The simple fact that it is physically impossible for CO2 emissions to cause man-made global warming has no effect on imagined fear of global warming. (It is a simple fact that a mouse cannot eat a person, but some people try to jump on chairs at the sight of mice.)"

"Also, some global warming proponents are accepting a good financial income from the global warming scare and have become global warming propagandists to promote their interests. These include some researchers who obtain research grants and some environmental organisations who need donations. They are making a living by promoting fear of man-made global warming."

"The hypothesis of man-made global warming has existed since the 1880s. It was an obscure scientific hypothesis that burning fossil fuels would increase CO2 in the air to enhance the greenhouse effect and thus cause global warming. Before the 1980s this hypothesis was usually regarded as a curiosity because the nineteenth century calculations indicated that mean global temperature should have risen more than 1°C by 1940, and it had not. Then, in 1979, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher (now Lady Thatcher) became Prime Minister of the UK, and she elevated the hypothesis to the status of a major international policy issue."

"Mrs. Thatcher...desired to be taken seriously by political leaders of other major countries."

"Sir Crispin Tickell, UK Ambassador to the UN, suggested a solution to the problem. He pointed out that almost all international statesmen are scientifically illiterate, so a scientifically literate politician could win any summit debate on a matter which seemed to depend on scientific understandings. And Mrs. Thatcher had a BSc degree in chemistry. (This is probably the most important fact in the entire global warming issue; i.e., Mrs. Thatcher had a BSc degree in chemistry). Sir Crispin pointed out that if a "scientific" issue were to gain international significance, then the UK's Prime Minister could easily take a prominent role, and this could provide credibility for her views on other world affairs. He suggested that Mrs. Thatcher should campaign about global warming at each summit meeting. She did, and the tactic worked. Mrs. Thatcher rapidly gained the desired international respect and the UK became the prime promoter of the global warming issue."

"Overseas politicians began to take notice of Mrs. Thatcher's campaign if only to try to stop her disrupting summit meetings. They brought the matter to the attention of their civil servants for assessment, and they reported that - although scientifically dubious - 'global warming' could be economically important. The USA is the world's most powerful economy and is the most intensive energy user. If all countries adopted 'carbon taxes', or other universal proportionate reductions in industrial activity, each non-US industrialised country would gain economic benefit over the United States. So, many politicians from many countries joined with Mrs. Thatcher in expressing concern at global warming and a political bandwagon began to roll. Mrs. Thatcher had raised an international policy issue and thus become an influential international politician.

Mrs. Thatcher could not have promoted the global warming issue without the support of her UK political party. And they were willing to give it. Following the General Election of 1979, most of the incoming Cabinet had been members of the government which lost office in 1974. They blamed the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) for their 1974 defeat. They, therefore, desired an excuse for reducing the UK coal industry and, thus, the NUM's power. Coal-fired power stations emit CO2 but nuclear power stations don't. Global warming provided an excuse for reducing the UK's dependence on coal by replacing it with nuclear power."

To read the rest of how the Global Warming hoax began, you can go to: http://www.john-daly.com/history.htm

nitewrit said...

Jeff,

It is my understanding that in 2012 Incandescent light bulb will be banned here in the U.S. There was a program a year ago giving out packs of free Compact Florescent lights to anyone and a campaign to go get them. There has been no real publicity what-so-ever about these new bulbs being dangerous in any way nor has there been any info publicized about LED lights.

On the Government Enviromental Agency website the risk is played down to the point of saying these are perfectly safe things. It does then mention the possibility of mercury in landfills getting into water, etc, but plays this down as fairly minimal. It does suggest if you throw the bulb in the trash that you double wrap it in plastic bags.

The website does mention LEDs, but states none have been developed yet that are practical for home lighting. Thus the emphasis is on everyone getting the compact florenscents for a few years anyway.

Now, after several paragraphs of assurance these compact florencents are perfectly safe and friendly things to have they give these instructions if you should accidently break one:

How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal
guidelines:

1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
• Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
• Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with
metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
• Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a
sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic
bag.

4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside
the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or
bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
• You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken
CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not
come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off
with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for
disposal.

5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
• Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash
pickup.
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
• Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not
allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a
local recycling center.

6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
• The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a
window before vacuuming.
• Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after
vacuuming is completed.

Jeff said...

Nitewrit (Larry),

It is my understanding that in 2012 Incandescent light bulb will be banned here in the U.S.

OK, thanks for that info.

There was a program a year ago giving out packs of free Compact Florescent lights to anyone and a campaign to go get them. There has been no real publicity what-so-ever about these new bulbs being dangerous in any way nor has there been any info publicized about LED lights.

I am not surprised at all, since they are pushing the CFL bulbs to apparently and eventually be the standard by law.

Now, after several paragraphs of assurance these compact florencents are perfectly safe and friendly things to have they give these instructions if you should accidently break one

Yeah, isn't that ridiculous? I have a previous blog article on that, including a video and a graphic I did illustrating those exact steps. You can see it
HERE.

Jeff said...

In that video HERE, Rep. Ted Poe of Texas, addressing the U.S. House of Representatives, says that Congress passed an energy bill that punishes Americans for using energy, and controls the type of light bulbs that all Americans must use. He says that Congress' energy bill bans incandescent light bulbs by 2014, and requires Americans to buy CFLs. He points out that nowhere does the Constitution give the government the power to control the type of light bulb that Americans can use. (And, BTW, the nearest recycling center could be many miles away from where you live.) And of course, CFLs are made of glass, so they are fragile, meaning that they can easily break, which means there is a high chance of the mercury from them leaking into the air, water, and ground. Rep. Poe continues, "If you break a light bulb in a high rise where the windows don't open, will the EPA light bulb police haul us off to jail because of improper disposal procedures? If I drop this light bulb, we would have to evacuate the House of Representatives, according to the EPA light bulb law! Have we gone a bit too far with this nonsense? Thanks to Congress, we're making what is simple, very difficult." He points out that CFLs may fade photographs on the wall and may cause interference to radios, televisions, wireless telephones and remote controls. He says, "Now we're in trouble for Monday night football, because we're going to have to turn out the lights so there is no interference with our TV. We can also thank Congress for giving more money to China." (Since they are ONLY made in China. We import every one of them.) He goes on to point out that we've seen Chinese pet food kill our dogs and cats; Chinese lead paint is poisoning our children; and now, Chinese light bulbs can be harmful to our health.

Lacretia Hardy said...

Thank you so much for this blog! I appreciate the list of scriptures that support the idea of living green. I personally do my best to live this way. I choose to recycle, use less energy, use earth-friendly products, and I even chose a green career. I found a company that really "gets it" and takes environmental stewardship seriously. You can learn more here: http://hardy.myshaklee.com.
I'd also love to hear more recommendations for other ways to preserve this Earth we're responsible for!

Jeff said...

Thanks, Lacretia. Some of my family used to sell Shaklee, and I have used Shaklee products (in fact, I still have some). I know they have good products.

I think that the more we can "get back to nature," the better off we'll be. Though it would be unlikely that we would be able to completely switch from driving cars to riding bikes (especially since many who live in big cities have long commutes to work, etc.), the more we can plant our own gardens, etc., the better off we will be, I suspect. We have come so far from living off the land, producing our own food, making our own clothes, etc., that we have become completely dependent on stores, the government, other countries, etc. to support us. I think it would be good if we could strive, as a goal, to become more and more self-sufficient and less dependent...especially in the current economy. This will not only help the environment, but it will help us individually if the economy gets even worse. In addition, terrorists are funded by the money we give at the gas station every day, which goes to Saudi Arabia, the largest supporter of terrorism in the world, so the less we buy oil from the Middle East, the less we finance terrorism.