Incandescent Light Bulbs Fading To Black
The incandescent light bulb is a quintessential American invention, discovered by Thomas Edison more than 125 years ago, but its future seems to be fading to black amid an ever-greening society. As Americans become more environmentally conscious, consumers are being pushed to buy more earth friendly products including compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, the latest help-the-planet issue du jour among concerned citizens.
At the federal level, President Bush signed an energy bill in December that, among other changes, will require all light bulbs sold in the United States by 2014 to be at least 70 percent more efficient than today. For those of you that haven’t already connected the dots, the mandate means that, without major improvements, incandescent bulbs will disappear from store shelves by 2014.
After Congress delivered its comprehensive energy bill to the White House in a Toyota Prius hybrid car, U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, a California Democrat, waxed poetic about light bulbs, noting that little had changed since Edison and his glass tube and filament. “When it comes to illumination,” Harman said, “we still live in a cave.”
The environmental keys to CFLs are their efficiency and longevity. According to government figures, CFLs use about 75 percent less energy to emit light than incandescent bulbs, and last as much as 10 times longer. So, although customers pay more for CFLs up front, they save money over the life of the bulbs. Furthermore, less energy from fossil fuel-burning power plants is needed to light homes and businesses, reducing greenhouse gases. Traditional bulbs, the government says, utilize only about 10 percent of electricity to create light; the rest is either lost or given off as heat. Sounds great, right? All in favor, say Aye…
But wait! CFLs aren’t quite the panacea they may seem. They come with their own environmental risk - mercury, about 5 milligrams sealed within each of the pretzel-shaped alternatives. Problems arise if the bulbs crack during improper installation or shatter when dropped. The EPA has mandated strict procedures for dealing with such occurrences as well as for disposing of the bulbs when they eventually burn out. While critics scoff at CFLs as “pro-mercury,” advocates say the health and environmental risks are small - minute compared with the mercury emitted from coal-burning power plants.
Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, delivered a concerned, if somewhat humorous, speech before the House that highlights some of the issues concerning CFLs. For example, there is an inherent health risk, and - get this - they all come from China! Frequent contributor Mike sent me a link to the CSPAN broadcast of the speech that you may find enlightening (pun intended).
Why does stuff like this get passed without first ironing out the potential problems, you ask? Probably because some of our elected officials are supping at the special interest trough while the rest are simply waiting their turn.
Doug
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Reader Comments (28)
Environmentally-friendly bulbs, but if you happen to break one it becomes an environmental hazard. If that's not the perfect example of irony, I don't know what is.
The bloody politician should have 'accidentally' dropped the bulb! It would have forced the Speaker to evacuate the room and get the EPA in to clean the POLLUTION! THAT would have been ironic!
Perhaps it is time that America looks around and sees that many other countries are ahead of the game in terms of finding new and more efficient ways to fuel our needs, so to speak. We have the resources, the smarts, the power, why are we bitching about a light bulb instead of trying to out-do China in efficiency?
Is that Tancredo laughing it up in the back?
I believe the reason we import all of these from China is that, because of the mercury, it is illegal for us to make them here. Now THERE is your irony AND hypocrisy!
I replaced the light bulbs in my house with CFLs and the next month my electric bill was $50 less. Mercury or no mercury, they are more efficient.
Kitty - Just make sure you wear a HAZMAT suit when you change them, and have the EPA's number on speed dial.
Why isn't anyone commenting about the backroom dealing that must have gone on in order for the Chinese to get the U.S. buy all - that's ALL - our lightbulbs from China? What a coup for the Chinese! Which U.S. politicians' pockets got padded to make THAT deal?
She makes complete sense. It is absurd to import EVERY bulb in the country from China especially when they're a potential health hazard. Somebody got rich on this deal!
People, dissertations are nice, but tell us HOW we can ACT on changing this law!! WHO do we contact; by email or regular mail. It's great to voice your opinion down the narrow abyss of rhetoric, but ACTION is what COUNTS.
If words are coming out of a republicans mouth it can't be true. Ted Poe is a bush loving lackey.
Oh great, we can all go home now, David has contributed. Very intellectual and on point, David. Boiled the issue right down to its basic components and provided some fresh ideas. Thank you David. Did everyone get that?
I'm just saying we are making too much out of stupid lightbulb. Who cares?
That isn't what you were "just saying", David, and now you have made another brilliantly constructive comment. But allow me to respond.
We are selling out another U.S. manufacturing industry in favor of importation from, of all countries, China. Worse, to make sure China gets ALL our business, we are making the U.S. product illegal in this country. Our government has shoved this down our throats without discourse. And you ask "Who cares"?
It is just a f*ing lightbulb!! There are so many more things we should worry about, like genocide.
Ah ha, the ugly head of liberal distractive logic shows itself. The reason we shouldn't solve the present problem is because there is always a bigger problem somewhere else.
Take them as they come or, at the least, prioritize them and then solve them in order, but don't use one problem as an excuse to ignore all the others.
Our federal government has made another power grabbing blunder. It's here, it's now. We should address it. If you don't care, you are another problem that should be addressed.
Well said, if perhaps a little melodramatic.
To complain, the usual channels apply: Write, phone or email your elected representatives. And before you vote, check to see which of them voted "for" this and which voted "against" - and why. Cast your own votes accordingly.
Tell your friends. Participate in discussions (like this one - heh).
Our Congress is becoming more and more about their own self interests and less and less about the Constitution. The federal government is not our "nanny". Angry? Get involved.
But name calling isn't constructive.
OK, now THAT was well said!
Fluorescent light bulbs are used all over America, compact just means it is compact, imagine that. Fluorescent bulbs light our trains, factories, schools, stores, offices, and I will even guarantee that they light Rep. Poe's DC office.
Very interesting....the ancient calendars ended in 2012....hmmmmm....
Huh?
Can I get an AMEN?? Woo-Hoo!
Personally, I hate the color of light these things emit. It isn't as bright and it is a yellowish color.
I mean we are headed on a course toward self destruction with poluting our environment and getting in bed with China.
I hate to buck the trend here but it does sem like a lot of discent over a lightbulb, and I don't hear Poe offering any suggestion as to how we might solve our energy crisis.....
It looks as though hardly anyone was even present for this speech. How is it that the House could be in session and so many not even show up?
Children without health care, our soldiers dieing in an illegal war for corporate profits and oil, and republicans worried about light bulbs. What is wrong with the country.