In December 2007, many of these state efforts became moot when the federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which requires all general-purpose light bulbs that produce 310–2600 lumens of light[33] be 30% more energy efficient (similar to current halogen lamps) than then-current incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The efficiency standards will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014.
Light bulbs outside of this range are exempt from the restrictions. Also exempt are several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, rough service bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, stage lighting, and plant lights.
By 2020, a second tier of restrictions would become effective, which requires all general-purpose bulbs to produce at least 45 lumens per watt (similar to current CFLs). Exemptions from the Act include reflector flood, 3-way, candelabra, colored, and other specialty bulbs.
Honestly, I think they make curly bulbs for nearly all applications now, and they’ve come down in price some. My advice is to stockpile the bulbs you prefer before they are gone from the shelves. I don’t mind the curly bulbs for some uses, but not for all. The savings on electricity is the ONLY reason I have some.
Al Gore and his pals can KMA.
LEDs are on the rise. They are bright, they can have any color temperature, they last, are incredibly effecent, and the price is going down. CFLs are a joke and won’t be around once LEDs come down in price enough. CFLs are a means for someone to make a boatload of money in the short term. They’ll be gone before they burn out. Personally, I will never buy a CFL, but I am all over LEDs
I have a pretty extensive lava lamp collection (about 18 now). They depend on a “hot” incandescent bulb to function. Maybe I should stock up...
The curly monsters don’t fit under a couple of my lamp shades. In the bedrooms, I have lamp shades that fit onto the bulbs. Then, there are still homes with shades in the ceilings that fit over the bulbs. People will have to discard their lamps, and do some rewiring to accommodate the government. Nothing they do is beneficial, including their (too) fragile lights.
Don’t fret.
Not trying to side with the eco-nazis, but you did ask for feedback. :)
Your situation is one which lends itself to a more efficient bulb.
You might track down a 2 watt 110v LED bulb of the same dimensions as those small clear incandescent ones you describe.
The 2 watt outputs the equivalent of 25 watts. Same small format - maybe an inch and a half across - standard base.
Runs cool enough to remove while it’s on.
Paid about $7 for mine. It’s rated something like 25c a year in electricity cost.
Reading with it would be a bit like reading with a candle, but it’s an option for a small 25w anyway.
Presuming a Republican President and Senate in 2012 to go along with the Republican House, repeal of this stupid law would be an early, easy, quick place to start the roll back of intrusive big government ... unless, of course, the progressive Rino Republicans hold sway.
Wal-Mart has them.
As these threads come up, I’d offer a thought.
Last year in one of these, a Freeper put in a link to a company called national hospitality supply. You can find them on the web.
They sell regular cheap bulbs and a bit more expensive commercial version that lasts years called the decade bulb.
I bought a bunch of the 75 and 100 watt decade bulbs from them. Very happy.
CFLs are terrible. LED’s still very expensive and I’m not yet sold on their light spectrum. So I will be stocked for ten years with normal incandescents and wait it out.
Pretty soon, either you won’t be able to afford electricity or your Smart Meter won’t let you have any.
So it really does not matter.
You can get both regular base and the small base low watt fluorescent bulbs. The problem we’ve had is that the bases on the smaller based bulbs is that they have a tendency to twist off when you unscrew them. The only thing I want, is regular night light bulbs to stay on the market.
I now have more than 200 of the 100 watt and 60 150 watt bulbs.
I could care less but...wait for it....
Has anyone noticed how GE and Sylvania have gotten around this mandate, which they lobbied for to line their bottom line?
They are manufacturing 97, 67 watt and so on bulbs.
Yep, they are making bulbs that do not conform to the exacting standard of the mandate which specifically calls certain bulbs for obsolescence by law.
AND!!!! They are now making bulbs that are supposedly brighter and last longer, of the current wattages.
This whole thing was a scam. No it’s a scam.
I hope to have another 100 of the 100 watt bulbs by January and that should cover a lifetime.
Then it’s on to next years “planned obsolescence” bulbs.
FU GE, Sylvania and whatever guhbmint agencies want to tell me watt I can buy.
Why don’t you just go out before the end of the year and buy about 50-60 25watt bulbs so you have a 3 year or so supply and wait and see if the GOP votes the regular bulbs back in. Who knows?
I heard homos shove those legacy light bulbs up their behinds, so we should outlaw homosexuality.