Clear-Lite 106546 ECO 20-Watt (75-Watt Equivalent) Natural Full Spectrum CFL Bulb, 1 Pack, White

by Clear-Lite

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Clear-Lite Bulbs, Clearly Better...Clearly Green. Clear-Lite Natural Light ECO CFLs are designed to be Earth Friendlier and use Premium Components such as Lead Free Glass, Lead Free PC Board, Lead Free ECO Base and Amalgam. They are designed to meet RoHS standards (Reduction of Hazardous Substance) and are Energy Star Qualified. Clear-Lite CFLs contain lower amounts of mercury, lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and polybrominated biphenyls compared to some other CFLs. Amalgam is an alloy of mercury combined with other metals in a solid form. Lead Free - no lead intentionally added. Information provided for reference purposes only

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001XUR8MY
• Item model number: 106546
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,519 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Be aware of the real benefits of full-spectrum lighting, January 31, 2011

By 

Dan Dascalescu "I've done my homework" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clear-Lite 106546 ECO 20-Watt (75-Watt Equivalent) Natural Full Spectrum CFL Bulb, 1 Pack, White (Tools & Home Improvement)

There are many sources claiming that full-spectrum lighting has health benefits, improves SAD, or increases productivity and concentration. None of these is true.

The Wikipedia article on Full-spectrum light lists a number of studies that failed to independently verify any health benefits of full spectrum lighting:

"The non-profit Lighting Research Center, a group of utility companies, experts and government agencies, established the National Lighting Product Information Program (NLPIP) in the USA to provide objective information about the effectiveness of different lighting systems. According to the NLPIP, full-spectrum light does not provide any improved benefits over similar light systems.[3][4]

A Cornell study casts doubt on the use of full-spectrum lighting in restaurants to promote sales.[5]

The National Research Council of Canada Institute for Research in Construction, a Canadian government research and development agency, has published several scientific articles about full-spectrum lighting, collected on their web page. The authors of these papers also have concluded that full-spectrum lighting (~5000 K, CRI>90) does not confer any benefits on performance, mood, or health compared to typical cool-white fluorescent lighting.[6][7]"

Also SAD treatment works just a fine with any white light. Furthermore, there is no fixed "natural" light spectrum. "Rather, natural light varies with latitude, time of day, season, cloud cover, air pollution, ground reflectance, and, if a person is indoors, window tinting." -- [...]

The only confirmed benefit appears to be better color discrimination. Useful if in your work, subtle color differences are important.

So get this bulb if you have specific color-related needs, or if you simply like its spectrum. But don't hope for productivity increases or bouts of sheer happiness.