Advent and Hanukkah CFL Kits Available!

Advent and Hanukkah are not far away! We’d love to get your congregation involved in our compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) projects. You can raise money for missions and other activities while protecting God’s creation by selling Advent or Hanukkah CFL kits. You can order full kits from GIPL by October 31 or you can make your own by buying CFLs from a local store (or the online GIPL shopping cart) and downloading the study guides. Call or e-mail us for more information.

The Advent kit includes 5 CFLs and the study guide “Preparing for a New Light.” Congregants change one light in their house to a CFL every Sunday of Advent and on Christmas Eve when they light the candles in their Advent wreath. The study guide includes scripture passages, a prayer, and information on electricity generation for each Sunday. $20

The Hanukkah kit includes 8 CFLs and the study guide “One for Each Night.” Congregants change one light to a CFL every night of Hanukkah when they light the candles in their menorah. The study guide includes a prayer, a light bulb joke, and information on electricity generation for each night of Hanukkah. $32

If you are interested in selling these kits in your congregation, call us at 404-588-9978 or e-mail us.

Compact Fluorescent Lights vs. incandescent bulbs

What is a CFL?
A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) is fluorescent lighting designed to be used in a standard (incandescent) light bulb socket. Because incandescent bulbs work by heating up a metal filament until it is white-hot, they produce mostly heat, which is why a fluorescent bulb using only 13 watts of electricity can produce light comparable to an incandescent hogging 60 watts.

How does a CFL benefit the environment?
Each 13-watt CFL, over the expected 10,000 hour life of the bulb, will save 470 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity compared to a 60-watt incandescent. If your electricity comes from coal-fired powered plants, this translates to a reduction of over 730 pounds of carbon dioxide (which contributes to global warming), 1.6 pounds of nitrogen oxides (which contributes to ozone and acid rain), and 4.3 pounds of sulfur dioxide (which contributes to haze and acid rain).

Where can I use CFL's?
A 13-watt CFL is only 1/2 inch longer than a standard incandescent bulb. Though thicker near the base, it is smaller in maximum diameter, so it will physically fit almost anywhere an incandescent bulb will. Higher wattage CFL's are bigger, so they may have some size constraints. CFL's should not be used in fixtures that are recessed and enclosed, on a dimmer, or exposed to moisture. Desk, table, and floor lamps are ideal locations as are many indoor ceiling fixtures.

Are there any issues about disposal of cfl’s?
No major environmental group or organization with their solid science knowledge base has spoken any concern about the disposal of cfl’s. There is a small amount of mercury vapor in all fluorescent lights. Mercury is a toxic substance but the amount in cfl’s compared to all the other sources of mercury exposure (thermometers, regular long tube fluorescent lamps, emissions from coal-fired power plants, etc.) is so little that it does not substantially contribute to the problem of mercury exposure. Theoretically we should be disposing of all our used mercury-containing products by appropriate hazardous waste methods. So, when, after the long, long useful life span of a cfl is over, we recommend disposal through hazardous waste handling systems but it is not obligatory to do so. A few progressive recycle facilities have found reclamation markets for fluorescent lights.

How widely available are cfl’s? Where can you buy them?
CFL’s have recently become widely available and the prices have dropped precipitously. Kmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Costco carry a wide selection, prices vary.

Download complete fact sheet