Incandescent stupidity: Washington outlaws 100-watt lightbulbs
You know the energy bill that Congress passed and President Bush signed into law today? Tucked into the legislation is a provision that mandates the phase-out of the 125-year-old incandescent bulb in the next four to 12 years in favor of a new generation of trendy, supposedly energy-efficient Gorebulbs.
First, Australia. Then the EU. And now us. Well-intended bulb-pushers said they weren’t supporting mandates. Just “voluntary adoption” of lighting alternatives. But the road to eco-meddling is always paved with “voluntary” intentions–along with threats to your children that if you don’t volunteer to buy environmentally correct lights, Santa and his reindeer will DIE DIE DIE!
The Business and Media Institute blasts the bulb ban and notes some of the drawbacks of CFLs:
The light bulb provision phases out traditional bulbs by gradually increasing efficiency requirements through 2020.
Conveniently for manufacturers like Philips, which has been pushing for legislation that would phase out incandescent bulbs (and level the playing field among competitors while giving Philips the public relations credit), the compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) already meet the 2020 requirement. Proponents of government intervention into the light bulb market argue the change will save consumers money – Davidson reported it will save $40 billion in energy and other costs in the next 22 years. But while Davidson mentioned one drawback of CFLs – that their “yellowish tints” are annoying to some eyes – he failed to mention the major flaw of the new technology: mercury. Mercury, a toxic metal famously found in thermometers, helps create the increased efficiency of a CFL bulb. If the bulb breaks, the small amount of mercury can contaminate the area.
The Financial Post reported in April that a broken CFL bulb cost a Maine woman more than $2,000 to clean when the state Department of Environmental Protection referred her to a cleanup company. At $5 in energy savings per bulb per month (as Davidson reported), one broken bulb could eat up 33 years’ worth of savings! The federal EPA doesn’t recommend professional cleanup for a broken bulb. It recommends you open a window, leave the room for 15 minutes, then put on some rubber gloves, scoop up the broken bits and seal them in a plastic bag, then put that bag in another plastic bag before throwing it out. Then wash your hands. But don’t worry, Tree Hugger – which calls itself the “leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream” – says the bulbs aren’t dangerous despite those recommended measures.
Even if the bulb doesn’t break, CFL users are supposed to dispose of used bulbs through state-run household hazardous waste programs, which aren’t nearly as simple or convenient as tossing a burnt bulb in the trash. Some states, like Maine, tell residents to hold hazardous materials in their homes until designated collection days. Many others, like Virginia, require participants to take the bulbs to waste disposal sites for special processing.
These feel-good dim bulbs give you crappy lighting, don’t live up to their longevity promises, and are a pain in the neck to dispose of–but they sure make enviro-nitwits and Big Greenie water-carriers feel good about themselves.
What happened to keeping government out of our bedroom? And our bathroom? And our utility closets?
The Gore-ing of America continues…
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yay! another way to screw poor people. yippie! and just in time for the holiday!
The one thing about the bulbs that bothers me is that they don’t work well for dimmers/three-way-bulb applications…
For those, I’ll keep using Incans, thank you…
Sounds like the wattage in Congress is getting dimmer by the minute or, at least, the session.
These bulbs cost a fortune in resources to make as compared to the incandescent bulbs. Then there is the disposal problem. And there is the fact that while almost all of our incandescents are manufactured in the USA or Canada, not a single factory in either country manufactures these particular CFL bulbs. More jobs to China. Liberals again trying to deconstruct the industrial base of America.
As long as they keep making 100-watts, I’ll keep buying them. Sheesh, this is ridiculous!
Oh! And, I think I need to make a run by the discount store and stockpile some incandescent bulbs for hard times to come.
I bought a bunch of these bulbs - not because I’m an eco-nut - but figured, if they save money in the long run - what the heck - plus they were on sale at the local hardware store for $0.99 for the 60 watt equivalent.
While most give out adequate lighting for our needs - the bathroom bulbs were terrible - my wife complained immediately. And I even went up the 100watt equivalent and they STILL were dim.
So now we’ve got regular 100 watt bulbs in there… can I expect the Gestapo to come by and take them out?
On a similar note - do the hollywood types use these newfangled dim substitutes for their make-up tables?
HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm????
What’s the chance these guidelines will go the way of the guidelines for the border fence?
Yeah, I know. Just our luck.
So what happens to this one? Does it go dark, too? Or will they figure out some way to make this a National Monument?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light
I do use the new light bulbs in a lot of fixtures. They haven’t totally worked out the 3-way or dimmer applications yet but will soon. The hazardous materials are a serious concern especially if you have children.
Having said that, I absolutely disagree with any mandates! That is going way too far. I suspect this will be pulled back. Next there will be an increase of people start having vision problems because of low wattage requirements.
I will go to Home Depot tomorrow and buy all of the incandescent bulbs I can get. If I have to fill my entire basement up with bulbs so be it. I hate those damn CFLs, they don’t light up the room worth a darn and it’ hard to read with them.
What’s next, make us all use Beeswax candles? Damn Greenies and there Goreology!
Sounds like the dim bulbs…..
…..are ALL IN WASHINGTON.
Everybody… quick… buy CFL lights to replace your incandescents, because within 24 months, the far superior (light quality) and more efficient (than incandescents and CFL) LED lightbulbs will hit the markets like a hurricane… so in the meantime, enjoy the pause after turning on the switch, as you wait for the CFL lights to gone on… its you thanks for Algorythms moment.
First they made us use low-flow toilets now it’s CFLs, Stop the Madness!
You will end up in “the too much light prison”. You are being forced to use Gorebulbs with mercury inside them. Do you have to call the DEM if you break one.
Here in Rhode Island we have a barometer break in a school and they shutdown the school for 3 days.
Sorry in advance for what will likely be a lengthy post. I find this very distrubing because of my nephew. He has Irlen’s Syndrome or Scotopic Sensitivity. This means that his brain doesn’t process certain wavelengths of light properly, so he has to wear glasses that have colors on the lens to help him see. This is particularly important for reading. People with Irlen’s syndrome tend to see the spaces between letters get bigger as one reads down a page or halos around letters or the letters moving in a wave across the page. One of the things that makes this syndrome worse is flourescent lighting. So, of course, it is very problematic for kids in schools. I remember in the early 80s people complaining about how bad flourescent lighting was, but then that argument went away. Well, after working in a junior high and knowing what my nephew goes through, I can tell you there are a lot of kids who have Irlens and have been diagnosed as hyperactive. Much of that hyperactive-ness could be solved for many kids by just having the colored lens. Unfortunately, not all eye doctors recognize the reality of this problem. If it now is mandated that we have flourescent lighting in our homes as well as schools and workplaces, those with Irlens are in for a very difficult time. And, as I suspect, if the number of people with Irlens is as high as some suggest, then this will impact a large segment of the population. The mercury is obviously another problem, particularly since some medics think it might be related to autism. I wish the enviro-nuts would let individuals make their own decisions.
I have first-and experience with these bulbs. I bought a bunch, before global warming and energy crisis scare. They were marketed to last what, years per bulb. This simply is not true. I have incandescent bulbs that have lasted longer. I hate changing bulbs. They are also almost regular bulb shaped and supposed to be the same size as a regular bulb, another lie. They are bigger and I couldn’t use them in most of my fixtures. At $8.00 a bulb, somebody is making out, but it’s not me. Anybody want to buy some bulbs? Gore?
When incandescent bulbs are outlawed, only outlaws will have incandescent bulbs!
swj719AWG
Don’t try using them in dimmers that becomes a fire hazard!
Also there are now 3 way compact fluorescents on the market for about the last year and a half.
whale oil i say!
Stupidity was always Dems strong suit.
Next up, mandatory mercury spill coverage for greener homeowner insurance policies.
Stock up on incandescents before its too late.
Oh Yeah, and I’m going to go stock up on regular bulbs while they still sell them.
Just wait. The first child the dies from mercury poison in one of these bulbs….it was Bush’s fault. He signed the law.
#23
I am with you on this one. I am stocking up!
You have got to be kidding!
The next thing you know, Congress will be passing laws that limit the amount of water I can sit my bare ass over when I take a crap…
Oh, I forgot, they’ve ALREADY DONE THAT.
Than can have my 100watt incan’s when they pry them from my cold dead hands!!!
This idiocy needs to stop. We need to elect a POTUS and a congress that will stop this idiocy. With so many things that need to be done in the area of energy,conservation and self reliance this is like spitting(a Geraldo)in the ocean!
freedom of choice is going, going, gone..
what happens when government curtails capitalism, besides turning towards socialism/communism, we loose our freedom and our ability to have choices. pathetic. and, when 10 years down the road we have found that ‘disposal’ of this product has not been done properly and we really have problems, we find ourselves having to deal with a real crisis. what will the gorebots do then? take more freedoms away, that is their job…
someone somewhere has to be making big bucks on this. my guess is the Phillips lobbying of our congress critters has gotten them a big piece of some $$$ pie.
Jeez, now I’m going to have to drive to Mexico to buy lightbulbs.
I will not submit.
What they have done is duplicate what the EU mandated a year or so back.
Nanny state requirements rather than try to convince consumers by their own choice.
If I want a higher gas mileage my car then I want that to be my choice and not their mandate.
If I want CFL bulbs (and I do use a lot) then that is my consumer choice.
If I want LED bulbs than that is also my choice.
However there are places I can not use a CFL. My vent hood in my kitchen has dimmers on the lighting and you can not use CFL’s with a dimmer.
They don’t work well in appliance lighting as a refrigerator or oven for example.
I am getting very tired of all these nanny state mandates and it won’t be a major point in congressional elections but it will be used to measure in some part.
Wait a minute…what about 90 watt bulbs? 60 watt? 40 watt? Is it only 100 watts? That’s easy…make 99 watt bulbs and everybody is happy.
LED arrays are much more efficient, much brighter and disposal is safer than a ‘aaa’ battery. When arrayed properly they can be used as ’spotlights’ to a degree, although so far, not the million candle power kind. They are great reading lamps, and can be spectrum adjusted for other uses.
sdillard. Excellent idea. What a bunch of communists. It is my choice how I illuminate my house. I pay the electric bills. Perhaps this is the real beginning of socialism. The Federal government mandates paying everyone’s electric bill?
What they are going to gain in savings by mandating this concept is going to be more than offset by ownership of those projectors for HDTV and power point presentations that are selling like hotcakes in the consumer market.
Some one please bend those people over and give them a swift kick.
I am tired of these people acting like Al Bores theory has been proven and costing me more and more each day for their religion as they continue to try to suppress mine.
I forgot to add that LEDs on a clean electrical circuit will last 30 to 35 YEARS. Have you noticed Semi-trailers on the highway the last few years? Their Tail lights are large, round and full of ‘dots’. What might you think those ‘dots’ are, eh?
I guess I will have to start stockpiling real bulbs too with a few other items. I am so disgusted with the growing dictatorship in Washington DC. This has really been a disappointing week as the sellout from our political ruling class continues to grow exponentially.
Rate them like we price a gallon of gas - 99.9 watts
Sheesh. I just got done putting dimmers on 90% of the lights in my house, and now they want to regulate a type of bulb that I can’t use.
Looks like I’m going to be one of those who stocks up on real light bulbs - and then when those run out will go to the criminal underground incandescent mafioso to get my lighting fix.
When incandescent lights are criminalized, only criminals will have incandescent lights (and they’ll be the only ones not in the dark).
Just out of idle curiosity: Do CFL bulbs work in Easy-Bake ovens? If not then “Stay away from CFL bulbs - for the children!”
I have been useing these bulbs in specific situations (on for extended periods of time) for almost 8 years.
This statement is bold faced LIE. Yes I do save some money but nothing close to this!!!
These bulbs lose most efficiency when only used of short peroids of time.
You sure this isn’t the work of Big Bulb?
Someone ought to check who’s getting a big payoff from this. Who’s getting big contributions?
(from the lib handbook of big oil, big pharma, etc.)
Be back in fifteen minutes. Going to drive the car around the block a few times just to feel better.
Nanny State
I’ve never had an incandescent bulb try to start a fire, but I have had at least 3 CFLs make an attempt. The problem is that many, for some reason, do not like to be place vertically with the bulb pointing down. In each case, the ballast got so hot as to start melting the case and making noise…
#12 you have that right…as the saying goes…”follow the money”
I tried a 100W one of these in our kitchen - it was the most horrid depressing non-light ‘light’ I’ve experienced - it actually gave me a dull headache and slight depression. The dishes washed under that light had to be re-washed the next day.
An MTA bus I was on in Brooklyn the other night was fitted with them inside.. everyone looked pale and sickly (even moreso than usual), and fortunately I only had a short ride, otherwise I would’ve got out and waited for another bus, it was that bad.
What’s the bet that not a single one of the idiots who passed this ‘law’ uses these bulbs in their own home.
Or ever will - that’s the beauty of being in Congress - you aren’t bound by the laws you pass. It’s like Leona Helmsley’s famous comment that “only the little people pay taxes.” Welcome to the “Little People.”
What’s really sad, but totally unsurprising is that they’ve got time to pass crap like this, but no time to take care of the troops(until they’re finally backed into a corner with no escape), or any of the thousands of other, really important things we send them there to do.
You’re right. It is depressing. Almost institutional-like.
Well, if they are going to have a Prohibition on bulbs, maybe we can all be “bulbleggers”. Heck, if Joseph Kennedy (Ted’s dad) can make a fortune off of illegal booze, maybe we can do well with illegal bulbs. Just call me “Caponeret”. I get the southside of No. Va.. They already are working on telling us what we can and cannot eat, what we can and cannot drive, what we can and cannot say. With socialized Hillarycare, they will transfer me to another medical field, because I’m more “needed” there than where I am now. Soon, they’ll be telling us what we can and cannot dream. That will be all that is left. (Maybe I shouldn’t have said that). There are so many laws/rules, it’s a wonder how they still call this country, the “Land of the Free”!
I am betting the ALGORE owns a light bulb
factorysweat shop in China that produces CFL bulbs.Never mind that THEY DON’T EVEN SAVE ENERGY! Sure they save initial electricity, but all that waste in heat now has to be created by the “normal” heaters instead. In a cold climate the net savings are minimal. Let the Californians ban it, but it’s just pointless for us in the northern parts.
If they are successful in doing away with incandescent bulbs, I would much rather see LED’s than CFL’s. I have experience with LED’s in flashlights. While the white light LED flashlights do not spread as wide a cone of light as a regular bulb, the area they do light is easily seen. And as for the ability to work with dimmers, that is well established. I’m an amateur astronomer. And almost every amateur astronomer I know carries a variable red LED flashlight on the oberving field.
I have yet to see an LED burn out. And it takes forever to wear out batteries with them.
Actually LEDs are coming here. They are pretty big in Europe, and Philips has a division dedicated to bringing more LEDs to the consumer market. It’s their LumiLEDs division. Google it and you’ll find more info.
I’m MUCH rather do the LED thing, than be forced to use the CFLs.
I have to disagree with some of you, we’ve used CFL for 7 years (there are a lot of lights in our new house), and they’ve lasted a very long time and have never been a fire hazard, despite being installed in can lights, i.e. “upside down”.
We’ve only had to change them once in 7 years. Most of the bulbs lasted 5-6 years.
We’re not moonbat environmentalists, but did it to save money, we use a lot of power. I’d get solar panels if I could afford it. I would feel quite triumphant having Excel Energy pay me for the extra juice generated each month instead of the huge checks we send them now. And our roof faces directly south, in Colorado, a state that averages 300 days of sunshine a year.
Granted, the lights can bee a bit weird until they ‘warm up’, but they work for most rooms in the house. All of the lights in our kitchen are CFLs and they work just fine.
That said, I’d like to know how it’s constitutional for the government to ban a safe and legal product? Where is product management stated in the Constitution? What is the world coming to?
Don’t get me started on the ethanol mandates…..
I replaced 3 100 watt security floodlights in my back yard with the “acceptable” (read politically correct) replacements. They were useless. They don’t work in the cold and I didn’t provide enough light when they warmed up. I put the old ones back up.
As an aside, I’d love to switch all of our Christmas lights to LED, but they’re still too expensive and the variety isn’t there yet. And since the light is very different, you can’t switch them a string at a time and maintain a uniform look.
But the thought of all of the benefits is tempting:
- they stay cool reducing any fire hazard (not that there’s much of a risk anyway)
- If one bulb goes out the rest of the string stays on
- They last a really long time
Anytime you have a bunch of bureaucrats outlawing a freaking light bulb it IS time for a revolution! Seriously, these idiots are our worst enemy. Open borders, who cares? Death to 100 Watt light bulbs, absolutely! Calling Dr. Paul. Calling Dr. Paul. Patient is in critical condition. Time for an intervention.
Shorted out a lamp by putting a CFL in a 3 way. But I generally have the micros in most rooms. They are made in china.
I will be heading out to purchase copious quantities of incandescent, high wattage bulbs.
I will bask in their warm, steady, bright light and laugh.
I see it coming (bulb smugglers/dealers).Hey man,all I have is 60s and 100s.75s are at a primo now,my supplier cant keep up.Maybe next week.Im making a trip across the border ,theres no fence so its no problem.I only take cash.
My wife replaced all of our incandescent bulbs with the CFLs. that is except, for out three way lamps, don’t work in those.
Right now the danger from the mercury in the bulbs is minimal due to the low level of mercury used in the bulbs and because not many people are using them yet.
WHEN these CFLs do become the norm, THEN there will most likely be a problem with the mercury when the bulbs are discarded.
I can see yet another special container just for hazardous waste to be added to the ones cities now use to seperate recyclying, yard trimmings, and trash.
I turned their claims against them. They made the mistake of claiming seven years life. I had our townhome association replace the incandescent bulbs (which burned out every three months) with the CLF’s…and kept the receipt. I now take the brunt out CLF’s back for replacement showing the service person the sales claim. So far, replaced 8 of 17 at no cost. Truly savings but not the way they intended!
What am I supposed to put in the pod lights I have in my ceiling?
Q: How many liberals does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. Liberals don’t change lightbulbs. They pass legislation forcing the citizenry to the change the bulbs.
Crapweasels.
I’m sure he has a mercury-credit scam in the works.
LEDs are a bit expensive but seem to have better potential.
But it doesn’t matter - all that matters to Congress is being able to tell you what to do!
LOL Greysonret, I’m on board. Bulblegging sounds like it will make us very rich. I’ll be a driver and I promise to make good time because it eats up more gas like that.
I did not know that the Goracle was on the Board of Phillips Electric.
Doubt you will find them there. In my travels to El Salvador and Northern to South Central Mexico in 2004-2006 I don’t recall seeing a single incandescent. They have been using CFLs for years. Reason, their electricity costs are 4-6 times or more the costs here in the US.
Maybe next time we want to throw something at one of these politicians we should substitute the traditional rotten tomatoes with CFL’s thrown at their feet so they can see the danger first hand of these things …
It seems incredulous to me that the EU would saddle all electronics companies with RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) rules that have costs companies billions to put in place or lose their right to sell their products in EU countries would be pushing these Mercury monstrosities … especially since Mercury is one of the main substances the RoHS rules outlaws along with lead …
Anyone else see the hypocrisy of this since Philips is an EU major player?
Guess there is no conservatism in “compassionate ‘conservatism’”.
Damn.
Uh no. They’ll just put a special TAX on them.
If I get mercury poisoning, can I sue the government for forcing me to use these bulbs, when they are fully aware of the dangers of mercury?
You might want to bookmark this one in case you break a CFL
Ten steps to be done if a CFL breaks from the British Parliament
Guess I won’t be filling out any tax forms since I won’t be able to see well.
Faux News Alert
Both the house and the senate have just passed the Charmin law !!
all other TP wil be OUTLAWED!
Poo Poo Police will be on the look out for the doo doo wrong doer’s for using cheap imitations or leaves in the forest.
fines will be severe,
and yes, you’re takin it in the rear.
film at 11:00
Those CFL jobs give off at least 1/3 less light than the regular bulbs.
To compensate for the loss, I suggest we go back to using whale oil. Whale oil lamps, candles, incense burners…
And when we run out of whales, we can start burning the fat off of politicians who continue to try and force us to do silly, stupid things in the name of a cleaner environment.
Rick
Don’t we then get all the Whale lovers in another uproar over killing off the whales?
the Whales have mercury in them also. or was that tuna/ dolphin?
Tax incandescent bulbs. Then they will be around forever. Politicians will never give up the money.
I know that as each successive American generation gets older, questions are inevitably asked that amount to “WTF has happened to America”?
But seriously, WTF has happened to America? I feel like an old man who walked uphill in snow to and from school and I’m not old.
So let me make sure I have it right.
We will have an increase in vehicle usage as people drive to hazmat facilities to dispose of these bulbs when they burn out (I live in MD and Rockville, at 20-30 minutes driving time is the closest place for me), which will increase the amount of pollutants.
Or they can spend a lot of money to have more facilities put in place, along with a staff to run it.
But we’re saving the Earth and we feel good, so that’s all that counts, correct?
I should find the name of the company I bought those boxes of incandescent lights from. 4 years later and I have yet to go through all of them.
A promising development today is a car that runs on fat.
Al Gore alone could replace the whole Hertz fleet …
Blubberboat. Great. What next?
Well, time to corner the market on 100 watt bulbs and black market them when the time comes. Does Canada sell them? Idiot government strikes again.
Figures. They HAVE to pass a law to get people to do something this lame-brained. If they let the market take care of itself, then nobody would buy Gorebulbs.
That does it. I am just going to stop recycling anything.
‘cept jokes.
and politicians
All this talk of burning whale oil is scaring me. With the middle-age spread I have, I’ll be dodging harpoons every time I go for a swim.
did anyone catch the “Boston Legal” episode last night? I think you can watch it on-line… they capped all over Hybrids and the Greenies… denny crane!
pulled out an m-16 paintball gun and blasted a great grouping right into an evirowhackos chest….. close range… 
It’s already almost impossible to find 100 watt bulbs here in Phoenix. If you are going to stock up on bulbs go to an electrical supply house and ask for a case of 10,000 hour bulbs. They should last for years.
Cameron -
Don’t forget the rubber gloves and 2 plastic bags required to dispose of the broken blub.
Since they’re contaminated with mercury, you can’t recycle them.
An increase in petroleum products, I don’t think the enviros will like that.
Freedom? What’s that?
I use a lot of the CPFLDQRSW, or whatever the hell they are called, bulbs. They last for a long time and, in less expensive lamps/fixtures, the fixture itself lasts longer due to the lower heat output. The floodlight type work well in the can lighting in the office. They also work well in light sensor activated outside fixtures. I have a 3-way lamp in the office with an appropriate 3-way CFL that burns ~9-10 hours a day, 5 days a week and has for 3 years so far with no replacement.
I also use a lot of incandescent bulbs. Every CPFLDQRSW bulb I have seen specifically says on the packaging “not for use with rheostat or dimmer”. So I don’t use those with a dimmer. I also don’t use them inside the fridge or oven, nor do I use them in short time burn security lights or motion detector lights as they take a few minutes to warm up to full brightness and they take even longer in the cold.
I like making those choices for myself and my business. I like balancing between energy savings, practicality, functionality and any other thing that strikes me to include in the decision process. I think I like deciding that because it reminds me that I own my own home and my own business in America and making decisions about things on those properties make me appreciate the freedom we have in America. It reminds me of the multitude of choices we have in America. It reminds me that I am a free man, in a free country, protected by the Constitution of the United States of America. In the future the lack of these choices will remind me that the sheep elected and re-elected the crapweasels who stole those rights, who stole those choices from me, my children and the generations to follow.
Why don’t we start with politicians. Three of them should keep us in fuel and electricity for about 50 years.
…
Lookout ethonal - here comes liposuction! : )
The ironic hypocrisy behind all of this is that The Great Al Gore and that Edwards chic have none of those fancy earth saving light bulbs in their own houses.
Good question! And I don’t think my vintage quail hatcher will work with a CF bulb either!
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/images/479/600×350/ld-incubat.jpg
With regards to the mercury problem Popular Mechanics apparently ran some numbers and determined that the electric power plant would emit more mercury powering a normal bulb during its lifetime than is contained in a CFL bulb (which should last longer).
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/home_journal_news/4217864.html
There are primarily two different compounds of mercury (elemental and organic) and one is worse than the other. Not sure what’s in bulbs or power plant emissions. If Popular Mechanics says 50.7 toms of mercury were emitted by US power plants in 2006 I’d say that’s probably not a desireable thing. From a waste disposal standpoint you’d rather have the waste concentrated than spread around the whole landscape and ultimately concentrated in rivers and lakes (and fish).
Both CF bulbs and LED bulbs degrade in their output light levels over time whereas incandescent bulbs tend to just burn out. (Sometimes they get brighter just before they blow!) I’m not sure how they measure CF bulb lifetimes to calculate savings, but they probably use a half-brightness point. I have 10 year old CF flood bulbs in some ceiling cans and even though they still work the light levels are so low they are now worthless for reading. I would have left the incandescents floods in there except in the summer the heat would trigger a thermal breaker in the cans and the lights would flash on and off every few minutes. The CF bulbs generate less heat and don’t trigger the breakers.
Here’s a place that sells some LED bulbs. Still very expensive although you could probably find a cheaper source, and the prices should drop over time.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/9ceb/
Uh, I can’t think up any more trivia about bulbs and mercury. This has been today’s electrical engineer perspective. That is all for now.
Apparently it didn’t occur to any of them to increase domestic oil & gaas production along with better use technology such as coal gasification, nuclear energy etc.
Instead they have us buying expensive, toxic light bulbs.
Good plan guys. Hey, I know, why don’t we eliminate the border fence too. Oh too late, congress has already thought of that.
Let Santa and his Reindeer die. Santa is an anti-semite, only giving presents to the Christian kids. This Jewish boy never got a thing from him.
Also, Reindeer meat (rumor has it) apparently tastes better than any steak, and I for one will be happy to try the new Blitzen Porterhouse at Black Angus.
I am not sure if it is Kosher. Somebody slaughter some Reindeer and I shall consult with my Rabbi.
Then we can use Rudolph’s nose to light up the world, and not need any light bulbs anyway.
eric
aka the Tygrrrr Express
Ooh! I did forget that part. Thanks!
So I have about 30 or so incandescent bulbs that I bought from one of those telesales organizations that employ blind people (Not getting an exact count right now. My closet will attack me if I try). We have had them since 2002. We replace maybe one a year. So improving the existing tech is not really that far-fetched in my eyes.
Twenty year from now all that neon will be an environmental nightmare!!!
I wonder if the Hollywood libs will be putting flourescent bulbs in the cabins of their private jets?
LOL, might as well just stock up on some candles and live like it’s the dark ages again.
This light bulb crap is a joke.
Teddy Kennedy’s alcohol soaked fat stores could light the eastern seaboard for at least a decade.
From the What are they thinking? files:
Article in Medical News Today.
There are legitimate and safe uses for mercury, though many industries such as mining and paper production are moving away from mercury processes. Still, the silver liquid is found in thermometers, thermostats, fluorescent lamps, barometers and car switches.
If the mining and paper industries are moving away from it, why are lawmakers embracing this potentially toxic metal?
Surely, if millions and millions of people start having to use CFLs, don’t you think at some point this mercury will enter the ground water through improper disposal and contaminate who knows what?
Here are symptoms of mercury poisoning:
The symptoms of mercury poisoning can include:
- impairment of peripheral vision
- disturbances in sensations - that ‘pins and needles’ feeling as well as numbness - usually in the hands feet and sometimes around the mouth
- lack of coordination of movements, such as writing
- impairment of speech, hearing, walking
- muscle weakness
- skin rashes
- mood swing, memory loss, and mental disturbances
Banning Edison bulbs at this stage of the development of CFLs is like banning the horse and buggy when Renault invented the automobile; or like banning train travel after Kitty Hawk…
Idiots all.
I like the new bulbs. Been using them for years and to me the light is just fine, (I actually find them easier on the eyes than the incandescent bulbs), and I’m sure they have more than paid for themselves in energy savings.
I’d use them without being forced.
There is only one explanation.
this is it
In other energy bill news, the new energy bill also authorizes drilling for oil and natural gas in ANWR and the recently discovered huge oil field in the eastern Gulf and fast tracked construction of a new refinery, the first in over 30 years. Oil independence from middle east sources is expected in the next 5-10 years while increased commitment to non-petroleum energy sources hopes to produce viable renewable sources with the next two decades …
No, not really, but wouldn’t it have been better than taking away our freedom to choose light bulbs and not possibly instigating a “mercury crisis”.
To clean the environment we had mandated fuel standards that caused us to get fewer miles to a gallon with detuned cars. Then we had to change the composition of gasoline to fight smog. Result ground water contamination with posionous MTBE. Then there was the warning about eating fish due to mercury. You older persons may have to have old fillings removed because mercury.
Now the a**es want to add more mercury to the environment with new fangled light bulbs.
By chance have you read about the shortage of wheat? What about the exhorbant price of corn? Could those shortages and high prices perhaps be the result of making ethanol for gasoline???
Another thing that really bothers me about this. The enforcement of any law the government passes is at the point of gun. So think about this: the Congress of the United States of America thinks that appropriate use of force against We, the People, is to prevent us from choosing the light bulb we prefer. Out of control doesn’t even begin to cover it. This is the type of loss of freedom liberals should be upset about rather than the FISA court.
The idea that replacing gasoline with ethanol will somehow reduce carbon emissions is not only a complete fallacy, but also demonstrates how little the enviro-nazis and their supporters in congress know or care about science. Anybody that has any training in chemistry should know
1. Ethanol is a hydrocarbon.
2. The product of the combustion of any hydrocarbon is water and carbon dioxide.
3. Combustion of ethanol forms carbon dioxide and water as follows:
C2H5OH + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 3 H2O
While using ethanol as a fuel may, at a very high cost, reduce our dependence on foreign oil it cannot reduce carbon emissions as I have heard many claim (including Hillary Clinton.) This startling lack of knowledge on their part is only further evidence that the whole “science” of climate change more akin to a religion.
One trip to the recycling yard uses up all the energy saved …. phtttt
Well at least you will be safe in your flat little car while driving there.
Our politicians suck.
If you’d like some perspective on how much electricity different things use, as well as how to figure out how much something costs to run, I’ve got a page on it here:
Electrical Usage: A Tragedy of Ignorance
Mercury is a much worse environmental toxin than some extra hydrocarbons.
Lets elect a intellegent admin and congress, throw out this entire bill and write a workable bill based on knowledge and thought of application.
One thing most people are not aware of is that for florescent type lights the start up phase takes much more power than keeping it lit.
I have a GE ring light out on my garage that stays on 24/7.
That thing must be reaching a near record for life span since I installed it as a replacement for an incandescent almost 12 years ago and it is still working fine.
In my kitchen the general lighting is 4 fixtures with two circular fluorescents per fixture which are 6inch and 8inch circle lites to mount one inside the other.
My range hood has halogen lamps on a dimmer system.
My bathrooms have general lighting provide by fixtures that have U shaped fluorescents that serve well. Their is a light bar above the sink mirrors with incandescent lights so that my wife can judge better her makeup application for real world conditions.
Each room in the house except the bedrooms has on lamp at the lowest wattage CFL I could find that stay on 24/7 and replaced all those baseboard night lights that were almost worthless.
Don’t forget Canada, which has also mandated the banning of incandescent bulbs by 2012.
Just one more nail in the coffin of what was once a great country.
Where are all the “pro-choice” Democrats now??? How come I don’t get to choose what kind of @#$% light bulb I used? Why the … heck should anyone care what kind of light bulb I prefer? I will put my household’s energy usage against the average of those in Congress any day. Let’s whip out the kilowatt usage and compare numbers. I’ll even do by the square foot since I’m certain every one of them has a house (or houses) larger than mine. When the numbers for Al Gore’s mansion were released last year (the one in TN, I understand he has others), I discovered that his annual electrical usage (in kilowatts) was about 4x ours PER SQUARE FOOT. And that didn’t include his $1,000+/month natural gas bill. (We have electric heat — no gas or oil.)
I have some addtional ideas for to save energy. Let’s cut off the air conditioning in the Capitol/White House/House and Senage office buildings. Hey, they didn’t have a/c for the first 150 years, and yet Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, et al managed. And we might as well cut the a/c in their homes, too. (It’s actually easier to tolerate a hot summer if one is acclimated to the heat.) And then all members of Congress should hang dry 100% of their clothes. No dry cleaning. No electric or gas dryers.
Then come back to me and tell me what kind of light bulbs I may/may not use.
This environmentalist agrees, these bulbs bite!
Brain-dead knee-jerk environmentalism gives the legitimate enlightened (no pin intended) eco-movement a bad name.
I warned of this in several earlier posts. While the Liberals are jumping up and down, screaming at the top of their lungs, polluting the Internet with the message and telling it every chance they get to the media about how the Republicans and Conservatives are Hell bent on taking away American’s rights and to beware of their jack-booted Brown shirts, it is indeed the Liberals and the Democrats who have, for at least the last 35 years, been slowly scraping away at American’s freedoms and rights.
What car to drive, what gas to use, what house to buy, what paper to use, what toilet to use, where to smole, when to smoke, if you can smoke, seat belts, helmets, what foods you can eat, what drinks you can drink, when you can eat and drink, how late you can be out, when you should sleep and when you should wake, if you can snore, how much you should weigh, what you should look like, what you should breathe etc., etc., etc., the list is growing longer by the day…and now, it is light bulbs. WHile I had stated as recently as I believe yesterday that it was in California that they were going to regulate what lightbulb you could use, I was unaware that they were going to start elsewhere first.
Anytime you hear about a new rule or law telling you what you can or cannot do with your body, time or property, you can be damn sure that it was created by a Dem/Liberal. (Or Damn Liberal…your choice)
So I ask you…who is the REAL Naziesque thugs out there stealing your rights and freedoms Liberal rolls? Is it your guys? Or is it Bush and his “cronies” You’re right….IT IS YOU AND YOUR ILK!!!!
nothings beats stereotyping and generalizing, some of the above changes or suggestions would provide a great net benefit to us.
not all environmentalists are liberals.
Since low cost energy is the lifeblood of America, I am sure they voted to allow drilling for oil in ANWR… oh they didn’t, but I am sure they voted to allow offshore drilling for oil… oh they didn’t, but they must have had a lot of legislation promoting nuclear power… oh they didn’t do that either. They must have seen the light on the poor economics of ethanol, since it takes as much energy to produce as it provides… oh they are still subsidizing that. But surely they know that wind energy is not practical on a large scale.. It takes 333 wind turbines with 250 diameter blades to provide as much power as 1 coal plant or one nuclear power generator. … and these wind turbines provide zero power when the wind is less than 8 mph. .. but they are pushing more of that… hopefully in Edward Kennedy’s back yard. Surely they know that CFL’s are hazardous and the life expectancy is over rated, and the light quality is poor… oh.. they don’t care.. they are the government and they are here to help us…. yeah right.
RetFireman, you forgot CA is now considering (studying) regulating caffeine as a dangerous substance — you know, in line with lead, mercury, etc.
Nevermind dozens of studies have already been done, but as usual, CA knows best.
Didn’t you know? People are dying by the thousands by drinking caffeine!
Yeah, give me a break. What next?
No, I didn’t forget. It was covered under the etc. And guess who brought that up for consideration and wants it regulated? Teh Republicans and Conservatives? Ummmmm…..Nooooooooooo……It’s those fighters of freedom and of your rights…the Socialistic Liberals and Democrats. Yup…more ways to chip away and erode away at your rights until they control everything you think, say and do.
As for the comment about “not all environazis are Libs”, um…duh…but the ones making the rules and laws are. Read the post.
Speaking of stereotyping and such…
I just LOVE this response. It usually come out when a statement such as the one I made has been made. the persons that it pertains to has been smiteted and, not being able to properly defend themselves or their actions, and knowing that they aare clearly wrong and they can no way come back with facts to prove that what I have said is false, they make some lame statement about “Wahhhh…you are stereotyping all Liberals and blah blah blah…”
I just love it. But see, the fact still stands, that the Liberals and the Democrats are the ones that are removing all your rights and freedoms from you, and they are doing so using three items. They use Political Correctness, Mulit-Culturalism, and the Environment/Global Warming as the excuses to remove all your freedoms and rights.
Again, when you see or hear about one of your freedoms or rights being removed or challenged, look to see who has started the process. You will find a (D) after his/Her name, guaranteed. Go back and check the laws on the books and see who started them. What you will find are (D)’s after their names.
Yet these same people who have done this to us and continue to do this to this country as well as the rest of the world, have all of this country CONVINCED that it is the “EVIL CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS” who are Hell bent on burning the Constitution and throwing away and trashing people’s rights and freedoms. This just goes to show you that people are Lemmings and are easily swayed by smooth talking pot smokers.
how likely is it that Fearless Leader will veto this?
Watch an Internet market develop for the 100 watt incandescent bulbs. There will be a way around the ban. There always is. The free market always prevails.
Regarding the supposed longevity of CFLs… I replaced most of the bulbs in my house 4 or 5 months ago. A couple of weeks ago, the first one burned out! I am not encouraged by this.
I truly believe that our congress is full of sociopaths and psychotic visionaries.
Light bulbs?
When they get rid of their jets, SUVs, large luxury cars, school buses, illegal trucks from Mexico, then maybe we’ll think they have a brain.
Land of Oz……..
Well, if we can all focus on switching over completely to LED’s, then we will be the ones who can point at the Greenies and tell them they have to change. I like that idea.