America's Dim Bulbs

IBD Editorials ^ | September 10, 2009

[Kaslin]

Energy Savings: Europe's ban on the incandescent light bulb began phasing in this month, and the U.S. will soon follow. Is Thomas Edison to blame for global warming? And why are we exporting green jobs?

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When the warm-mongers assemble in Copenhagen this December to hammer out a successor to the failed Kyoto Protocol, no doubt their work to save the earth from the carbon dioxide that gives it life will take place under the eerie light thrown off by compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) mandated by the European Union to fight climate change.

The bulbs are more expensive, costing up to six times as much as an equivalent incandescent bulb. But they're said to be more economical in the long run because they supposedly use up to 80% less energy than old-style bulbs and don't burn out as quickly.

The change will be gradual. The clear 60-watt bulb will be allowed to be sold until at least September 2011 and clear 40-watt bulbs until 2012. In Germany there's a run on Edison's creation, with sales of incandescents up 34%. Is a black market in bulbs in the offing?

The Telegraph newspaper reports that European officials are conceding CFLs are not as bright an idea as first advertised.

An 11-watt CFL is advertised as being the equivalent of a 60-watt incandescent. Officials in Brussels responsible for the ban admit that this is "not true" and that such claims are "exaggerated."

[staytrue]

For continuous use, the CFL is way way better.

However for intermitent use like closet lights, the incandescent is more energy efficient, lasts longer and is just all around better.

[ColdWater]

The problem is the lie that they last longer. Talk to anyone who uses them, and you'll get the same story: They burn out a lot.

Our house is almost 100% cfl going on two years and we have had ZERO failures. That includes using standard cfl's in the ceiling fans.

[Rocky]

This is an amazing flip-flop from the enviro wackos.

Mercury used to be the worst thing in the world, to hear them tell it. Now, they are forcing every home and every landfill to have mercury in them.

[GregoryFul]

CFLs don’t last long with lots of cycling. One I installed in my upstairs hall only about 2 years. I have an incandescent bulb in my downstairs powder room (a large globe type) that has been there since 1986. CFLs don’t work in light dimmer or photocell controlled circuits - ruined a couple trying, without reading the fine print. Lots of places where CFLs make good sense to use, have them in many places - but there are some lighting solutions that call for incandescent bulbs. If this country were free, we wouldn’t be dictated to by our elected reps to use low flow toilets and CFLs, under threat of force.

[Jack Hydrazine]

You can get incandescent light bulbs rated for 25,000 hours that are used by the hospitality industry. If you use them for an average of 7 hours a day they’ll burn out in just a little under 10 years and cost about a buck or less per bulb depending on how many you buy.

https://www.nathosp.com/product/25k19_c/standard_incandescent_light_bulbs

Once you stock up all you’ll have to do is watch out for the light bulb police who’ll be monitoring everyone who might be using those unauthorized, evil incandescents!