Bulbs / Miliband

[webofevil]

Possible bad news for migraine sufferers: Energy-saving light bulbs could trigger migraines [BBC]. Those fluorescent darkbulbs that take about quarter of an hour to reach their semi-luminescent state, one of which led me on new year’s eve to misread, albeit at a distance, a product on my esteemed colleague’s bathroom shelf as “Foaming Fascist Wash” (rather than “Facial”), turn out to be not only annoying but actively harmful for a select few.

My concern is that the government (1) seem to take at least four years to absorb new information anyway and (2) are puritanical enough at heart, even without David Miliband heading Environment any more, to press ahead with banning normal light bulbs with no regard to what that could do to migraine sufferers. Prove me wrong, envirowonks!

Incidentally, now that “the Mil” has inserted himself into this post, I am slightly disturbed by the number of my female acquaintances who have A Bit Of A Thing for the Foreign Secretary.

[Poll #1114522]

Comments

[chiller.livejournal.com]

I should point out that there is a small but significant chunk of society (of which I am, unfortunately, a part) who absolutely cannot function with some types of low energy bulbs (or fluorescent tubes). The flicker is visible and while it doesn't provoke migraine for me, I do find it distressing.

[strictlytrue.livejournal.com]

I wasn't aware of this problem before I read that story, but if low energy bulbs are available that don't flicker - and presumably these will be more popular in the long run - then a long-term replacement of conventional ones with energy saving ones should be okay. I would imagine that ways will be found to make them brighter, too. We've just never had to really think about it before.

[chiller.livejournal.com]

Hey, if they actually invent one that doesn't flicker and that - you know - sheds a bit of light, I'm all over that.