Obvious Diversion

I’ve been looking to outfit my new apartment with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, commonly referred to as CFLs, but my efforts have been unsuccessful. Like any technology, CFLs can range from anywhere from awful to excellent but my attempts to figure out which are which before purchase have been less than fruitful. What sort of lights are appropriate for different activities and which bulbs best cast the appropriate type of light? These bulbs are expensive and buying ten different models to sort out which would work best is more money and effort than I would like to expend.

As a result of my frustrations, I wrote to Consumer Reports and received the following reply a few days later:

Dear Christian,

Thanks for taking the time to contact Consumer Reports. It is always a pleasure to hear from our readers!

I was delighted to receive your suggestion for a future report that you’d like to see published on energy efficient light bulbs. I’d like you to know that I have forwarded your correspondence to the appropriate editors and technicians for their review and consideration for a possible future report. From correspondence like yours, we get great story ideas, as well as a first-hand feel of the type of information our subscribers want.

Thanks again for taking the time to write. Your interest in our work is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Katherine Breglio
Customer Relations Representative

I’m sure it will be some time before they consider the idea and hopefully compile a report, but it’s nice to know it’s being considered. Some clarity and solid data in this marketplace is certainly needed.