DadTalk

Old Light Bulbs Redesigned

Could good news be coming to the world of light bulbs? As you may know, energy efficient compact fluorescents have a nasty problem: they contain small amounts of the neurotoxin mercury. And while LED lights are more efficient than CFLs, they are generally too expensive. Aesthetically speaking, both types of light bulbs emit odd color tones that seriously complicate taking indoor pictures and make my wife’s skin appear green.

So it came as a surprise to me that manufacturers are working hard to make energy efficient incandescent light bulbs, reports The New York Times. While these new bulbs don’t save quite as much energy as the two competitors, there seems to be room for significant improvement.

Philip’s is already selling Halogena Energy Savers at Home Depot and on Amazon. The bulbs go for about $5 a piece, but it takes time for new products to come down in price. But researchers are working on a variety of improvements that may soon find their way into homes.

Just the thought of an efficient bulb that doesn’t use mercury and puts off decent light brightens my day.

Handy Safe Fish Guide

Not sure what fish is safe for your family? Even less sure which is eco-friendly? Check out this cool, easy-to-read chart from oceanographer Neil Banas.

Mexican Bird of Paradise

Nothing quite matches the orange intensity of the Mexican Bird of Paradise, which grows well in the Arizona desert. This one is at our community garden plot near Scottsdale Community Garden.

Grapes of Math

A gardener next door to me grows grapes primarily for looks and shade over a garden arch. Who gets to eat the thousands of luscious fruits? The birds, of course!

We Love San Diego

Despite Seth’s burns, we decided to go ahead with our San Diego/La Jolla vacation, even though the doctor said Seth was not allowed to get ocean water or sun on his injuries. Plus, I had to change his dressings each night.

Because the air was pleasantly cool and the water relatively cold, Seth’s injuries did not pose much of a distraction. Even Lael didn’t get her upper body all that wet because the sea was too bracing.

While there, we did the usual touristy things: eating out at overly expensive restaurants, frolicking at the beach, spending a day at the fabulous San Diego Zoo (more on that in another post) and touring the Air & Flight Museum.

The day after the trip, the doctor told us Seth’s burns, which were a pleasant pink color, no longer needed to be dressed. (We still need to apply lotion several times a day.)

In the top photo, Seth and Lael play at different beaches. Below, Seth and Lael at the Air and Space Museum. Below this text, a crab guards its little crevice. In the bottom photo, a happily exhausted Lael fell asleep after her sturdy little body finally gave out.

Storm

My garden provides a nice view of the McDowell Mountains where I live. In this photo, a mid-May storm works it’s way down from northern Arizona.

Product Review Can Sponges Be Green?

When the publicist contacted me about reviewing environmentally-friendly Scotch-Brite sponges, I almost laughed. But since I happen to already use that brand, I figured why not?

Besides, when I was a boy, my dad WORKED for 3M, the makers of Scotch-Brite. Dad would often bring home cool electronic toys before they were cool. I was like 7 at the time.

Guilt-Free Earth Day

In each place I’ve lived, I’ve faced various problems being green minded:

• In Florida, sorting out recyclables into several open-aired boxes was mind-boggling. Rain often ruined the paper products.
• In Los Angeles, we had to commute because kid-friendly neighborhoods are far from where I worked downtown.
• In our Chicago apartment, we were pretty sure the landlord was tossing our dutifully separated recyclables in with the regular trash.
• And in Arizona, we are exclusively buying bottled water because I’m prone to kidney stones. The water is so bad, I’m not sure filtering is adequate.

So on this Earth Day, I’m not going to extol you to behave this way or that; it is just too hypocritical. I believe that most Americans want to do what is best for the environment, but when it comes down to it, we’ll commute for affordable housing and better schools and we’ll use the products that best protect our health and fit our needs.

Solutions only work for you or me if they are practical or effective. Consider I recently bought a $13 LED flood light bulb for our kitchen. LEDs use less energy and put off less heat, which is important in Arizona.

The problem? The bulb’s weak bluish light makes me feel like I’m on the set of the Blair Witch Project. I now use that light bulb in a standalone socket as a nightlight.

So on this Earth Day, go without guilt and just keep trying to do your best.

Desert Flowers

I’ve been frustratingly busy while the desert blooms. I did manage, though, to grab a few photos of hedgehog cactuses, recently, while hiking up to Thompson Peak.

Back Yard Blooming

While we might live in the Arizona desert, our back yard is quite verdant. The top picture shows white-flowered, thorny vines growing on top of our neighbor’s Ficus. I am told it’s the only Ficus in the neighborhood that survived a frost from last year.

The bright yellow tree is a sweet acacia that produces yellow puffballs in spring. The flowers emit a perfume-like fragrance vaguely reminiscent of Channel No. 5. Or was that Picasso? Been too many years.

The pink flowers come from a bougainvillea just before a wind storm pulled the plant away from a wall. I had to cut it back to the trunk, but it’ll grow back in no time.