Photo credit: USA today
After being passed by Congress, Bush just signed into law a massive energy bill that will, among other things, spell the end of traditional light bulb. USA Today reports that the bill will phase out the venerable (but power-hungry) incandescent bulb over the next dozen years in favor more efficient fluorescent, halogen, and LED bulbs. Specifically, the new law holds that all light bulbs must be 25 to 35 percent more efficient by 2012 to 2014.
A LED-based light bulb
Incandescent bulbs are highly inefficient, and today many compact fluorescent bulbs have a light quality that is similar the warm, incandescent light most of us of familiar with. Each fluorescent bulb installed will chip about $5 off your annual electricity bill. U.S. News has a great FAQ on why the bulbs are being banned, and why fluorescent bulbs are more efficient overall. How about these stats: $40 billion in savings over the years spanning 2012 to 2030, 14 fewer coal-fired power plants, and 51 million fewer tons of carbon emissions annually.
Via: USA Today
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Eddie, just a follow up, I started to look for information on these new high effeciency incandescent bulbs. Almost immediately I came across this statement from GE
“GE Consumers & Industrial and GE Global Research have suspended the development of the high-efficiency incandescent lamp (HEI) to place greater focus and investment on what we believe will be the ultimate in energy efficient lighting — light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Research and development of these technologies is moving at an impressive pace and will be ready for general lighting in the near future. LEDs and OLEDs used in general lighting are now poised to surpass the projected efficiency levels of HEI, along with other energy-efficient technologies like fluorescent, and have the additional benefits of long life and durability.”
GE makes a lot of bulbs and it looks like they don’t have much faith in the future of incandescents.
Well KEITH, if you can, let me know you got ur 411 from because i heard on CNN a few weeks ago that G.E is still looking for new ideas to build engery efficient incandecents. I find it very disturbing that you would agree with the government who FORCES us to use what HE THINKS is right, rather than suggesting. I make MY money to pay MY light bill. If I have to pay a bit more put of my pocket to have warm pleasent light from an incandecent, thats my choice, not the governments. Unless these assholes pay my light bill, they dont have a say in what bulb i use. Thats like saying, they’re going to ban soda because of the high sugar content which may cause americans to gain weight and have health issues there after. If i wana drink soda all day every day, nobody is going to tell me otherwise. I bought it with my money. so screw them! This is the land of the free. This is not Cuba. When you really think about it, the ban is not resolving anything. Its just causing people to go into a panic mode and to stock up on incandecents. Many, Many people have already stocked up on hundreds of boxes of incandecents, including me. I have enough to last me a life time and i’l probably have more to put in my will after im gone. So, many ppl will still use incandecents, even if they do stop selling them in stores after 2014. The only thing that the govenment is resolving, is installing these new energy savings bulbs into city offices and government buildings. Believe me, many, many people will still use incandecents even if they do get banned. Heres another issue which you and many people seem to ignore. we know that CFLs do poorly in cold. If they do ban incandecents, how are we suppose to light our refridgerators?? Are we going to start using flashlights to see what we’re going to eat for dinner. I dont think leds would work well for our refridgerators either but im gona research that. And how about our ovens?? I dont know anyone with an oven with a flourecent lamp in it. I live in the North East where it gets pretty dam cold in the winter. I especially like incandecents because it gives off warm heat. During the winter months, any sort of heat in my house is welcomed, whether its from a portable heater or a light bulb. These are things that are moron governments dont think about it. Instead they get off by having some sort of power trip. CFLs and LEDs do not work with everything, so banning the bulb completly is not going to solve anything. What they should do is have incandecents, cfls, and leds available so that us american consumers can choose whats best for them. Again i say, If they pay my light bill, then they can have a say in this but until then, THE HELL WITH THEM! im not buying those shit cfls and leds.
“… Thats like saying, they’re going to ban soda because of the high sugar content which may cause americans to gain weight and have health issues there after.”
Eddie, that’s precisely what Michelle Obama is up to w/her ‘concern’ over American’s – especially children’s (let’s hear it for the poor children) obesity. “Healthcare”, which failed when the Socialists attempted to raise our health insurance rates (for our own good) and dictate our medical care in an attempt for the biggest Federal power $$$ grab ever, will be the new ‘global warming’ but even better this time under the guise of Healthcare for Obesity. Since obesity has the virtue of being an actual problem, unlike global warming, they will probably gain traction w/this one (look at Bloomberg in NYC slapping very hefty fines on restaurants for using transfats and salt). She’s already earmarked billions and billions of dollars (which we don’t have) of taxpayers money for her new pet project for growing an Obese Government. She’s also lying through her teeth when claiming that ‘1 in 3 American children are overweight or obese’. It’s patently obvious that figure is inflated and yet, the media hacks sit and nod thier heads in compliance with this lie – just as they’ve done w/’global cooling’ and now ‘global warming’. The extreme left will do anything and everything to steal taxpayer’s money and use it for their short term greed – they will destroy our future (speaking of ‘the children’!) – destroy freedom – destroy America and all in the name of ‘for our own good’.
Eddie, what about the mercury level in these bulbs? You do know that these reports are coming out now saying that these bulbs can be dangerous. Not only that but you really think that taking away the option to use what ever lighting source suits you and is not detrimental to anyone else, is anything other than a infringement on our liberties? I mean the truth is they are trying to BAN the light bulbs we have used for years with no ill effects. why is that? i myself am going to the dollar store and buying a couple hundred a month and making sure that i use what ever light source i i want to.
Oh and Eddie just so you know brother, WE ARE NOT IN THE LAND OF THE FREE! we are in a socialist dictatorial state and we wont be free till we cause a revolution my brother. grab your guns cuz they will be going door to door.
I see that Daisy is back again demonstrating her complete ignorance of ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. She knows better than all the scientists who say that Global Warming or better known as Global Environmental change is REAL. Remember that Lush Limbo is an entertainer and laughs all the way to the bank, have you seen the interview where he laughs at the idiots who believe what he says. So if that is where you get your information then I am sorry to say you are WRONG.
Now who is raising the Health Care costs? Daisy if you have Health Care Insurance you may have noticed how your costs have gone up and the services provided have declined. It may come as a shock to you but it is the Capitalist Health Care Insurers who are doing this not Obama. Please explain how other developed countries can provide very good Health Care to ALL their citizens at half the cost of the Insurers in this country. Don’t tell me about the Canadians who come to the US for treatment it isn’t true. However what is true is that literally millions of Americans receive treatment in other countries because it is better and far cheaper.
Of course I am sure that you have personal experience of the Health Care services available in other countries or are you just repeating the lies and garbage coming from the likes of Sarah Palin. Oh I hear that Sarah went to Russia for her Health Care because she could see Russia from her front door.
When you know nothing about everything you should just shut up and stop making a fool of yourself.
This is NOT a socialist administration, and Michele Obama is a very smart dedicated and hardworking lady, unlike you.
As for the Billions of dollars you say she has earmarked for the war against bad food it pales into insignificance compared to the Billions of Dollars that George Bush earmarked for his phony wars. Where were you when that happened, George was such a coward that he hid all those expenditures and never even declared them to the people of this country. He did not have the money either he simply put it on the National Credit Card. Why don’t you scream about that.
And what about all the GOP politicians who voted against the stimulus bill but are now having news conferences saying how they have now created thousands of jobs with that money. That is known as hypocrisy also known as LYING.
Eddie I am fed up trying to educate those who plainly do not have the intelligence to THINK about things instead of yelling and screaming about their rights and freedoms. If you will read some of my other posts you will see that I have explained that freedom does NOT mean you have the right to do ANYTHING you want. Doing anything your little heart desires is known as ANARCHY the exact opposite of freedom. Stop and think for a while please, the mark of a free and safe society is the existence of laws and responsibilities. Yes RESPONSIBILITY is the most important thing of all for without RESPONSIBILITY there is NO FREEDOM. Total freedom exists in places like Somalia where there are NO laws to tell you what to do. However you do need a small army armed to the teeth to defend those freedoms you cherish so much, in fact I hear on good authority that Somalia is the most popular retirement destination for members of the NRA. As for your obvious paranoia about the GOVERNMENT taking away your rights you should really get counciling you seem to see conspiracies everywhere.
Now about the heat given off by incandescents being useful in the winter you seem to have forgotten that in the Summer that extra heat would not be welcome. Perhaps your paranoia made you forget that after Winter comes Summer and in the Summer the weather gets HOT. I am always struck by the fact that people such as yourself see only half of the story and forget totally about the other half.
There is NO god given right for AMERICANS to use whatever kind of light they want. Should you be allowed to use leaded paint and gasoline or drive on the left hand side of the road or any of the many other rules that SENSIBLE FREE people accept as essential to a safe and happy life.
Of course not. Give me these restrictions anytime rather than having the FREEDOM for any idiot to do whatever he seems to think is his right. As I have said that is NOT freedom it is ANARCHY.
Go read some history then you will understand.
KEITH, it looks to me like the more u post, the more upset u become. why is that?? Mayb cuz we’re speaking out the truth?? Calm down there fella b4 u burst. KEITH, it amazes me that u believe all the garbage u hear on tv, and the things u read. have u ever thought that maybe the crap ur hearing about incandecents are harmful to the planet is bull shit. SURE, the government makes laws to ensure the safety for everybody. The examples ur giving about gasoline and all the other crap ur posting are poor examples. If incandecents were that harmful to the planet, why havent they banned them a long time ago?? they’ve been around for over 100 years and homeowners havent complained about them. The only ones complaining are communists such as urself who dont enjoy freedom. The only “HARM” these light bulbs do is sky rockets your light bill and again, i dont mind because i prefer the light it gives off. lol screw the government, im sticking with my incandecents. Mayb ur sick of ppl crying about their freedom but MOST american citizens such as myself enjoy our freedom. Mayb u rather have the govenment up your jock 24/7 and thats fine if thats what u want but MOST citizens such as myself will continue living the life style that we want just as long as nobodys harming anybody and theres no proof that incandecents are harming the planet or anybody. Thats just another poor excuse for congress trying to interfere with our life style. Maybe u outa move to canada. There, they have the cops knocking on ur door to make sure ur not using incandecents. Maybe you’l be happier there. I”m not harming anyone or anything by using incandecents. And again as i said, I’m the person paying for MY light bill, so i will decide what lightbulbs is suitable for me. When the government pays for my light, then they can decide, until then, they can kiss my ass. And i will continue to stock up until they’re gone.
i see that me and a couple of others had posted something b4 about CFLs not working well in cold and refridgerators. Funny how you’ve been ignoring that. How do you suppose we should light are refridgerators with CFLs?? U do know that incandecents are needed in some of our appliances right? or again, are u just ignoring the FACTS. Could u imagine a flourecent light in ovens??? Wouldnt that be an interesting thing to see.
For most of us living up north, any type of heat is always welcomed. Duhh KEITH, nobodys gona heat their homes in the summer. I just love how u TRY to post AT ppl instead to people trying to make them look stupid and make urself sound like u know everything. Well, if u really knew what u were talking about, almost all of the people posting would agree with what you’re saying. But it seems like thats just the total opposite. Whether u like it or not, most americans such as myself are sticking with old fashioned light bulbs because we like it. If u like shitty light in ur house, have a ball and enjoy them.
And as for JOEY, u need to get back to ur history book, my friend. America does have laws and most of them are good laws. But banning something we’ve been using for a long time, thats not harming anything but mayb our light bills is something totally different. Whats next? mayb they should ban computers and the internet because of child molestors who are out there hitting on young children. So i guess we wont be able to post on youtube or on here anymore because of those sickos, and we’l all have to suffer now. Have a good one people.
JOEY, in response to your other comment, u made a good point. G.E. is still in the process of figuring out how to make energy efficient incandecents. they failed once but i read somewhere that they’re not giving up. until then, incandecent lovers should continue to stock up. we still have a few more years to go.
KEITH, congress does make decision for us to ensure our safty and with freedom does come with responsibilty. I am all for saving the planet. Recycling cans, bottles etc etc. But this is freaking insane. We’re talking about a light bulb. The only harm that incadecents do is raise ur electricity bill. Eddie has a very good point. WE’re paying for our own electric bill so we should decide what light bulbs best suit us. Not the government. Fact of the matter is that flourecent bulbs dont work in all fixtures. Again, congress not thinking as usual. If CFLs and LEDs are so superior, consumers will buy them with out anybodys regulations. But why should they restrict consumers choice? Fact is, these flourcent light bulbs are not as good as ppl claim it is. I live in a building where they use flourcent lighting in a candle shaped bulb and many of them blow out quite often. i have a beautiful chandelier in my dining room. Most ppl would probably agree with me that chandeliers look nicer with incandecent bulbs. I am not gona use ugly ass flourcents on my chandelier just because the government THINKS its going to save the planet. KEITH, after reading ur posts, i’m wondering if you work for or with the idiots of congress. You are a communist! Maybe u outa move to Cuba where fidel castro will be up your ass 24/7 at every little thing u do. Oh and great news, there, nobody uses incandecents any more. Everyone there switched to flourecent lighting. If u want flourcent lights in your house, thats your choice. Its your house and you’re paying for your light bill. Just like if i wana use incandcents, i can and I will. Looks like i’l have to do what most ppl are doing and stock up.
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