lava lamp dilemma

When Michael left his job back at the other end of February he brought home a second lava lamp for us. Since I was a kid I've always loved a lava lamp. Principles of thermal fluid dynamics playing out in an infinite array of organic forms can mesmerize me for hours.

Here's the problem I'm having, lava lamps require incandescent bulbs to work. Ironically, to do their thing, they consume the wasted energy (heat) that makes incandescents so inefficient in the first place.

Here's my quandry; with the big eco push to compact florescence and LED's is it ok to run a bunch of incandescent bulbs stricy for my viewing pleasure? Especially given the fact that it takes about an hour to really getting to it's most visually performative state.

Comments

[Ivy]

If you promise to change all your other lights to eco-efficient models you may have a lava lamp as an art object. Art is not supposed to be efficient.

[Fred@OneProjectCloser]

An interesting question would be whether lava lamps are banned under the new legislation that requires improved light bulb efficiency beginning in 2009.

But, either way, I think the answer is that you should definitely have and use your lava lamp if you want it. If you are concerned about environmental impact, there are a number of other ways you can reduce your carbon footprint to offset the lamp. Certainly, changing out the other light bulbs in the house that you *don't* need the heat from is a good start :-)

My wife and I burn a fire in our fireplace many nights in the winter. Since we have a traditional fireplace, it actually wastes more heat than it produces (because the air going up the chimney is replaced by cold air coming through cracks). We really enjoy the fireplace, and are willing to pay a little extra to the electric company to compensate.

[Brian Lee]

Actually in the winter time incandecent light bulbs are 100% efficient as the excess heat is used to suplement heating requirements. The CFL legislation is junk science at its worst.

[Jeff]

I'm with Brian Lee on this one.
In the winter time incandescent (and other heat producing item) help to heat your apartment (which might i add is pretty cold).
CFLs are a scam to make people buy more crap.

[The Girl]

But doesn't this make the incandescent blub really bad in the warmer months? and we know there is a partial ban on air conditioning in your apartment...

[LesPlaaay]

I say enjoy your lava lamp guilt free.

The first question you should be asking yourself is if these new low energy flourecent bulbs are truely eco friendly. It is my understanding that the chemical compounds within these bulbs are highly toxic (contain mercury) and need to be disposed of in a manner that ensures no breakage adding to the bulk of our landfills.

My opinion is incandecent bulbs are recyclable and the energy consuption may be more but these are much more "eco friendly."

It's not only the consuption of energy which needs to be addressed but from what that energy is coming.

[james]

I think you should totally ignore the energy efficiency and just enjoy it!! I have 2 and i love them ;)espcially as my Bathroom Lights

[Bob Williams]

For the relaxation lava lamps give incandescent lamps are definately worth it.

[Joanne]

Oh there is so much written about being eco friendly, that half of the time you don't know what to do for the best. Lava lamps are a great invention and still being sold in shops so I would say, enjoy the light you have, try not to worry too much about the eco side of things, I mean lets face it most of the people who go on about being eco friendly travel the world in cars which aren't so fuel efficient.

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[charlotte]

Lava lamps have been around years, yet a couple of years ago I am sure I heard that they were trying to ban them because of the heat that was given off by them

[Mari]

What a great tip! This is especially good if you fogrot that bottle of olive oil in the back of your cupboard and didn't know how to use it up. I've written about olive oil lamps in The Passionate Olive -101 Things to do with Olive Oil, but never with an orange. Thank you.

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[Donna Busch]

Lava lamps are so worth the lightbulb . Defenetly go for it.