Creating energy efficient upscale homes is the focus in an article by Fine Homebuilding Magazine.  In a special publication titled Energy-Smart Homes, the magazine addresses many home products that can be used for the home building trade.

The magazine has an article focused on energy efficient lighting, in particular the CFL.  The article addresses three concerns of the homeowner about the use of fluorescent lighting in their homes.  Using industry information, they have a great summary about the dangers of mercury that is needed to use the fluorescent lighting.  They state that there is mercury in many products used in the home, besides fluorescent lights and that the CFL has the mercury contained in the bulb.  Also that the mercury in the bulb is less than what is emitted into the atmosphere when energy inefficient lighting is used.  Secondly, the article also reports the steps to follow if a bulb is broken, without the need for a hazmat team to arrive.  And finally it addresses the range of color of the light that is emitted by the modern fluorescent lights.

Modern fluorescent lighting has come a long way from the flickering harsh light that were first introduced in the mid 50s.  The industry has worked hard to reduce the hazards and produced a variety of light colors to enhance our indoor environment.  It also has created more efficiencies by creating more variety and pleasing replacements for our standard incandescent lights.

It has reached an age of maturity that even the finest of homes are using them to reduce cost and save the environment.

Today the Consumer Reports Blog featured TCP’s friend Ed Hammer, the father of the Compact Fluorescent Lamp, on their bimonthly segment “10 Questions for…” . In this segment of the blog, a Consumer Reports’ editor presents different leaders in their fields with you guessed it – 10 questions.

In this interview Ed explained how the energy crisis in the 70’s led him to design the first CFL, which is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Ed also discussed other hot topics relating to CFLs including why it took so long for CFLs to reach stores, mercury concerns when a CFL breaks, and if CFLs here to stay.

To hear more from Ed Hammer about his revolutionary invention you can visit www.drop-the-hammer.com to listen to podcasts sponsored by TCP, Inc.

You may be wondering why a light bulb manufacturing company would have interest in being on a video sharing website. Being on YouTube provides an opportunity for TCP, Inc. to broadcast ourselves to over 79 million users!

TCP currently has six videos available for your viewing pleasure including: The History of Lighting and CFLs, Volcanoes Power Plants and CFLs, Lighting and Phosphors in CFLs, Light Color and CFLs, CFLs and The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and the Bright Town Trailer.

So stop on by TCP’s YouTube page – http://www.youtube.com/user/TCPnetwork and check out our videos we have posted as well as some of our favorite videos posted by others.