Bill to Ban Regular Light Bulbs Introduced in [U.S.] House

CNSNews.com ^ | 3/21/07 | Nathan Burchfiel

[CNS]

(CNSNews.com) - A Democratic lawmaker has introduced a bill that would ban the sale of traditional incandescent light bulbs - which are less energy-efficient, prompting claims that they contribute to "global warming" - one day after a colleague told a press conference that legislating a ban would be a "last choice."

As Cybercast News Service reported last week, Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) and Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) held a news conference Wednesday calling for more efficient lighting options, and Manzullo said "the last thing we want to do is force legislation down people's throats."

One day later, Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that would set target dates for certain types of light bulbs to be prohibited for sale in the United States.

Harman calls the bill "an important first step toward making every household, business and public building in America more energy-efficient."

"This legislation, while a small step, could have an enormous impact," she said in a posting on the liberal Huffington Post blog. "And hopefully, it can help transform America into an energy-efficient and energy-independent nation."

An average traditional incandescent bulb based on a filament emits 12-15 lumens per watt (a measurement of the bulb's lighting output.) Harman's bill would require all bulbs to produce 60 lumens-per-watt by January 2012; 90 lumens-per-watt by January 2016; and 120 lumens-per-watt by January 2020.

[JDOH]

"We will be living like Osama Bin Laden in caves sooner than we thought..."

If the dems get control of congress and the presidency, yes indeed. First toilets, then lightbulbs, then ... private vehicles:
First to get banned: Big RV's and Hummers
next: Excursion, Suburban, etc
next: Tahoe, Expedition, etc
next: Envoy, Explorer, Trailblazer, etc

I hope they can't get all that started in the two years of free reign they will have if the next pres is dem. Don't let it happen...

[raybbr]

THAT

IS

FUNNY.

And true.

[reagandemo]

"Florescent lights wont come on in really cold weather. They would be worthless for outdoor use in the northern states."

I have not see the screw in types do that in my garage. They would fine down into the single digits.

[4yearlurker]

Wonder how those fluorescent bulbs would hold up in a drop light on a job site. Can I put one in my fridge? How about my oven?

[Red Boots]

They contain more Mercury than the regular bulbs, thus making them toxic waste and this kind of surcharge will lead to illegal dumping of the used bulbs

So, we'll have to use them to not produce a hypothetically dangerous chemical (CO2)which harms no one; while upping our likelihood of introducing to the environment what is actually a harmful chemical.

Don't these people ever think ?

[Politicalmom]

Not only that, but they figured out how to make decorative bulbs. I have replaced the vanity globes in all my bathrooms.

[Vinnie]

They make candelabra base CLF bulbs.
I was in the market for a globe style CLF to replace 5 bulbs in a fixture in a bathroom.
Lowe's has them. They have a candelabra base and an adapter for standard base.
Only problem, $5 each.
They also have bulb styles compatible with ceiling fan fixtures. The same base and adapters apply.

[noname07718]

Dimmer switches don’t work on fluorescents.

[keepitreal]

Harman calls the bill "an important first step toward making every household, business and public building in America more energy-efficient."

----

Note the words "first step". Wait for powerless Fridays where we are mandated to not use energy all day.

[WhiteGuy]

While I really don't believe in the global warming argument, I DO use these new bulbs whenever possible.

They cost me less in power usage and they last about 100 times as long (so it seems)

[flintsilver7]

Supposedly, based on coal plants, even if the bulbs are broken less mercury is produced. That's because coal plants produce mercury and CFLs are supposed to save enough energy to offset the potential mercury leak. (Of course, you could just not break the bulbs.)

[Colorado Mike]

"Oh man if this is for real they will be pummeled with.........
"how many democrats does it take to change a light bulb?" jokes."

However many are in the House, but the bulbs have to want to change. :p

[reagandemo]

"We moved into our house last year and used fluorescent in almost every lamp in the house.

Almost every single one has burned out.

One real bad thing about them is that they are not to be used in a lamp with a dimmer switch, like we have on every ceiling fan in the house.

I think that they are a joke."

There are cheap one out there that do not last. You get what you pay for. Also, there are ones which you can use a dimmer on.

[N3WBI3]

That was my point...

[DBrow]

I expect a one-two punch on this one.

First, we will be forced to buy the Gorebulbs.

Then, there will be a special "assessment" to dispose of them, under the guise of a Mercury Disposal Fee (to keep mercury out of the landfills and keep the kids safe).

I can buy Gorebulbs for about a buck now- but once they are mandated, the price will rise.

I'm investing right now in a bunch of quartz-halogen lamps. My last big stock-up was Sudofed and that sure paid off!

[Wolfie]

Relax. I'm sure Bush will veto it.

[raybbr]

Dimmer switches don’t work on fluorescents.

There are some flourescents that do work with dimmers. You have to look for them.

[red irish]

They give me a headache!

[DBrow]

"They would be worthless for outdoor use in the northern states."

Funny you should mention that. There is a group, International Dark Skies Organization, that tries to ban outdoor lights so that we can all recover the glory of the stars in a dark sky.

They do some good things like get the governments to buy more efficient outdoor lighting (that also produces less "light pollution") but if things worked out so that you could not run any light outside, they'd dance for joy.

They do most of their work in the background- it would not surprise me if they were helping with lightbulb legislation.

[Politicalmom]

I was really looking forward to LED lights, but I got some LED Christmas lights, and those things are NASTY. I had to move them outside, because they made everyone sick when they looked at them.