California mulls ban on incandescent light bulbs

Times Argus ^ | 1/31/07 | By Kate Folmar San Jose Mercury News

[Jean S]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It may soon be lights out for the traditional light bulb in California.

Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, is proposing that the Golden State become the first to ban sales of incandescent light bulbs, by 2012. In their place, Californians could purchase more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps. Those are the spiral-shaped bulbs that cost more upfront but save money and energy over the long haul. Switching light bulbs is an idea that environmentalists have long supported. But getting consumers to embrace change has been slow going.

Banning energy-intensive incandescents "saves consumers money, saves the state money and saves energy," said Levine, who calls his measure the "How Many Legislators Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb Act."

But, "when a consumer is standing in a store and they're confronted with two different products, they generally opt for the one that is cheaper and the one they've traditionally bought," he said. "The problem is: The one they think is cheaper is only cheap at that moment in time. The other one is cheaper over the long run."

The compact fluorescent bulbs cost several times more than a traditional bulb, but they last 10 times as long. Replacing just one bulb that's used for four to eight hours a day can save a consumer $4 to $13 a year and $38 to $72 after five years, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

[AZhardliner]

Where do I apply to be a bulb policeman?

[RFH]

I can get a 4-pack of light bulbs at the 99-cent store. Back in 2000, an article in Slate (http://www.slate.com/id/88871/) showed how you would save a whopping $26 in 3 1/2 years by changing out all your incandescent bulbs to fluorescent. That's about $7.50 a year - less than the price for a movie ticket.

California legislators - please leave me alone!

[maine-iac7]

It's the Socialist way - force everyone to comply. They don't recognize the FREE Market system, aka Capitalism.

Freedom of choice, if left to operate, will take care of the problem without making criminals of the non-compliers...or having one more government intrusion into every room in our house.

A few years ago, these new bulbs were cost-inhibitive - around $8 per. AS more and more people have bought them, the price has come down to a reasonable level and more and more are switching.

I hate the ugly look of the things but have them throughout my house - on a fixed income, I need to save every penny I can. MY CHOICE.

The price will continue to fall, left to the FREE market system. Make a law, per the Socialist system, and the price will be anything the producers want -

For example: The FREE market system is working, slowly but picking up steam, with the distribution of organic foods - witness the larger and larger sections for organic goods and products in the super-super markets. Are they doing it because they are concerned about our health?

He*l no. They are doing it to stop the money-bleed from their stores as more and more consumers are going organic. Are the majority of consumers switching to organics to save the world? He*l no. They are doing it for their health.

It called FREEDOM of choice - and it drives the FREE market place.

This proposed law is just one more drip=drip-drip erosion of our individual rights. These are the people who passed the water restrictions on our toilets, for example. So now people have to flush twice to do the job. Yeah, that works well.

An aside: The sponsor of this 'lightbulb' act, Lloyd Levine, democrat (that was a given, huh?) also sponsored the "K-12 Pro-Homosexual School Act"

[mosesdapoet]

Try listening to your radio with one of them near it. WTMJ's Charlie Sykes is doing a rant on this subject and the range of callers are offering a range of objections from headaches caused by light frequency, to construction (hallide gas)and disposal. In cold weather areas the heat from a 100 watt incandesent will prevent paint and water based materials from freezing in a confined space
http://www.theusmat.com/

[clamper1797]

The light is at

1976 at Fire Station 6, 4550 East Ave., Livermore, California.

Not Oakland

[OB1kNOb]

What a bunch of dim bulbs. ;-)

[antiRepublicrat]

No, consumers go for the light that is pleasing and not that harsh flourescent bulb.

A lot of it is simply people not knowing how good CFLs are these days and taking the cheap purchase over the long-term savings. I prefer the light from my CFL bulbs over the few incandescents still left in the house.

What happens when LED lights hit the market?

Socket-fitting ones are on the market, but they're not very good and too expensive. The environuts will probably want to ban CFLs when LEDs mature. One of my favorite upcoming battles is when the global warming wackos ("Mandate CFL!") face off against the pollution wackos ("Ban CFL because it has mercury!").

This is of course not the solution. Wal-Mart is going one of the correct routes by simply raising the visibility of CFLs in its stores. Let the informed market decide.

[Logical me]

Yes, the light from these bulbs do shift colors in most public places. And the instant on will be a thing of the past when the bulbs get older.

Just bought two to put in a place that we do not spent time in. They were advertised as 3200 Kelvin bulbs and I will tell you I have to question that. Household incandescent are, I believe, even lower than 3100 and is the reason for the warm soft light. Usually the lower wattage in normal household lighting the lower Kelvin. Normal sunlight shining on the earth is up in the tens of thousands, and even above, and in photography the normal Kelvin rating is 5600K (considered white light). Special fluorescence can be purchased for various conditions such as fluorescence for artist using paints. Even some can be purchased for lighting in greenhouses to promote plant growth.

Reading a book under incandescent bulb is the only way to go. Soft, warm, defused and really easy on the eyes, and most important (at least to me) is they do not glare off some types of paper.

And still, there are special coated bulbs with various substance that can change the color. No perfect answer. Let's just keep government out of it.

[maine-iac7]

The question is not whether Kalifornia will survive but when it goes down hard will it take good states like Texas and Oklahoma with it into the cesspool of mediocrity.

Maybe Oklahoma, but Texas, when it joined the states, maintained an escape clause that allows them to pull back out without permission from Washington.

Texans don't like to be dictated to. For ex: one of my sons recently moved to the megalopolis of Houston - a well laid out, huge expanse of a city. Guess what? He says there are no zoning laws in Houston. Freedom works.

If Texas ever deciding to pull out and become it's own country, wouldn't that be a hoot. Other states may be unable to follow, but the people would sure set up a ruckus for the Socialists to get out of their faces...

[Xenalyte]

Actually, Lloyd, I don't buy fluorescent bulbs for living space because I don't want my home to look like an office.

[anjinsan1]

This is just the latest here in CA... you can't spank you brats,or buy a 15 round magazine and now light bulbs.

[FixitGuy]

A 100W CFL puts out less light than a a 60W incandescent IMO! Tried many and never was satisfied.

[BurbankKarl]

I am not for banning light bulbs...but these bozos have to do something...they banned buying power from coal power plants, and banned new nuclear power decades ago....with the door to Mexico wide open, and even with all the fleeing manufacturing, there will be power shortages

[scooter2]

Just so I can watch all the car manufactures try to figure out how to retrofit (or even make) compact flourescent that are bright enough and actually fit into the billion little places where incandescent bulbs are in a car!

You ever heard of LED's?

[pointsal]

Where do they find them???

Well try looking at the loons in the teaching system...

The socialist control-freaks are getting a full head of steam.

[longtermmemmory]

I have tried the more expesive "same as" compact florecents.

They are not the "same as" and are not as good as incandecents when it comes to natural lighting.

Then there is that ubiquitous "do not use with dimmers" deal breaker.

Good for the garage, not for the living room.

But that is why we have the free market, eventually they will get it to the point where it is cheeper than and of sufficent consumer wallet value to not notice the difference.

But not yet

[reagan_fanatic]

I've got CFLs throughout my house. If you look around, you can find ones (I use the G.E. brand) that come on instantaneously and have a more natural color than the flourescents of old.

Having said that - have the politicians in CA gone completely mad? The movement towards CFLs will progress quite nicely without a bunch of self-inflated morons legislating us to death.

[zeugma]

I'm guessing noone who proposes this listens to AM or shortwave radio.

[GingisK]

I've had two of those spiral tubes lamps catch on fire in my house. They aren't ready for prime time.

[PissAndVinegar]

Sure have!
You ever heard of Thermal Runaway ?

And have you ever seen how crappy they are in automotive application?


Perhaps you can you hook me up with some good 65W LED headlights for my highbeams? (and they need to not suffer from thermal runaway so I don;t have to replace my headlamps everytime I used them)