  E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1454 Registered: 11-2004 |
I am spearheading the effort to replace all of the light bulbs in my church -- Sts. Peter & Paul Jesuit in downtown, www.sspeterandpauljesuit.org -- with energy-efficient ones. Since this is a big historic church, former Arch Diocese cathedral, there are more lights to change than I care to count. Dozens to say the least. This is being funded by donations from church members. Well, we're midway through replacing them and I have a bunch of old-but-working incandescent light bulbs left over. I can't bring myself to throw them away so I am selling them so they can finish living out their useful life and help fund our church's lighting transition. I have the following bulbs: 150 watt: 2 100 watt: 13 90 watt: 1 60 watt: 41 50 watt: 1 40 watt candleabra: 1 65 watt flood: 6 50 watt recessed flood: 3 30 watt recessed flood: 3 These all worked when we took them out. New these are worth about $90. I'll let them go for $40. The money goes toward buying more energy-efficient light bulbs for the church. If you're interested e-mail me at 5column(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks in advance. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4149 Registered: 02-2005 |
That's a nice church that I've visited several churches...nice job in trying to save it money. Does it look better/worse with the new type of light? I know that the newest flourescent bulbs aren't as cold/harsh, but they don't match the warmth of old-style lights. | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2006 |
love the 7:35pm sunday mass....it would be sure dark without you! thanks. -s | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 141 Registered: 08-2006 |
E_hemingway, is there any change in the color of the stained glass windows (maybe only visible at night) after the change in bulbs? Sometimes pinks look blue, a really weird eye trick. It'd be interesting to hear about. | ||
Track75 Member Username: Track75 Post Number: 2678 Registered: 10-2003 |
Maybe you could donate them to a church or something. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1455 Registered: 11-2004 |
There isn't any real visible change in the way the light looks, except they appear brighter. I think that has more to do with them being clean and new. Some of the old ones had a few years worth of dust on them but still produced adequate light. I used soft white light bulbs, N:Vision bulbs from Home Depot, and they matched what was the existing light pretty well. They didn't mess with our stained glass windows, but those aren't that elaborate. I don't think you can see a difference one way or the other, although I haven't really looked. Saving money is one part of it. We also want to make the church more environmentally friendly. We're looking at a number of different things, such as more efficient heating systems. That's still a ways off. Right now the light bulb change is the easiest fix. The thing is, we have replaced most of the normal everyday (read cheap) 60 watt bulbs. Now we have to replace dozens of candleabra bulbs. Those run about $7 a piece, meaning this is going to take a while. | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 220 Registered: 05-2007 |
I'd be interested in finding out how much money those bulbs actually save. It sounds like you have a good case study for anyone who wished to conduct an energy survey. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 1698 Registered: 01-2006 |
I truly, honestly mean no disrespect to E_hemingway or this thread, but Track75's post made me laugh 'til my eyes began to tear up. | ||
Hybridy Member Username: Hybridy Post Number: 186 Registered: 08-2006 |
kudos on your efforts to reduce God's carbon footprint | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4150 Registered: 02-2005 |
Sounds good, E_Hemingway. You're right, the stained glass is cool but nothing too impressive like, say, St. Joseph's up the road ;) I'm all for taking sustainability/pro-environment measures, but it's amusing the way some priests are taking up the issue in their parishes. I have no idea if Fr. Bonk is or not, I'm just making a general comment about a new trend. I have no issue with it as long as they can connect it to Church/Bible teachings, and as long as they don't neglect other key social issues. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1457 Registered: 11-2004 |
The money savings per year, according to the packaging, breaks down like this: 60 watt bulb = $46 65 watt floodlights = $41 50 watt recessed lights = $29 15 watt candleabra lights = $24 The energy efficient lights also claim to have a three to four times longer lifespan than normal incandescent bulbs (replacement savings) and come with a 7 to 9 year warranty, depending on the bulb. There will also be extra savings for replacing some 75, 100 and even 150 watt bulbs with 60 watt bulbs in places where the lesser wattage is needed. We plan on tracking how much savings these bring us over the next few years. The upfront price of all of these bulbs, except the cheap 60 watt four packs, can be daunting. Most of the bulbs will run about $7 each and are only sold individually. I tried googling info on buying them in bulk but the prices and shipping roughly equated or exceeded the prices at Home Depot. Not to mention the N:Vision ones at Home Depot are top of the line according to Consumer Reports. This isn't a Father Bonk initiative, but he is fully behind it. He likes the idea of making the church more sustainable, but then again he isn't preaching about it from the pulpit either. This isn't about being preachy though. It's about doing our little part to make our church a better place. That's all. It's not like we're putting solar panels or wind turbines on the rooftop. Thanks for all of your encouragement. It's much appreciated. But not as much as someone getting these "previously owned" light bulbs out of my apartment, wink, wink. ;) (Now listening to all offers for them. Get them now before they're gone!) | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2140 Registered: 10-2006 |
"This isn't a Father Bonk initiative, but he is fully behind it. He likes the idea of making the church more sustainable, but then again he isn't preaching about it from the pulpit either. This isn't about being preachy though. It's about doing our little part to make our church a better place. That's all. It's not like we're putting solar panels or wind turbines on the rooftop." To be quite honest, the more 'green' moves that one can make without it being noticeable by the general public, the better. Green ideas shouldn't be something that have to stand out, or it would only work in very few places. Good work! | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1458 Registered: 11-2004 |
Thanks. I agree. The more green moves don't stand out the more commonplace they become. The more commonplace they become, the more sustainable living becomes mainstream. The more mainstream it is, the cheaper it is for everybody so the cycle just builds on itself. |
