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Incandescent bulb’s future dims
MSN ^ | 11-11-2007 | MSN

Posted on 11/11/2007 7:20:25 PM PST by Westlander

If U.S. lawmakers have their way, the lights may soon go out on Thomas Edison's greatest invention -- the incandescent light bulb. The 19th-century inventor brought illumination to the world's fingertips, but according to Congress, his invention isn't efficient enough for an age anxious about energy supplies.

"Only 10% of the power used by today's incandescent bulbs is emitted as light, while the other 90% is released as heat," Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., said when she introduced her legislation to ban standard light bulbs.

To eliminate this waste, Harman has proposed legislation that would effectively eliminate incandescent light bulbs from store shelves nationwide as early as 2012.

(Excerpt) Read more at realestate.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: 110th; bigbrother; bulb; edison; energy; envirowhackos; ida; incandescent; janeharman; light; lightbulbnazis; lightbulbs; lightpollution; nannystate; stalinisttactics
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To: gitmo
They are an environmental nightmare

Mercury in CFL Bulbs

The average CFL bulb manufactured today contains 4mg of mercury. It is an essential part of CFLs without which we would not have such energy-efficient light bulbs. Although it is anything but optimal to have such a toxic material used in the manufacture of a green product, this is no reason not to replace all incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs at home and in the office.

Why? Because coal-fired power stations emit mercury - and during the average 5 year life of a CFL bulb the electricity generated to power it will have lead to smokestack emissions into the atmosphere of 2.4mg of mercury. Over the same 5 year period the electricity consumed by incandescent bulbs will result in 10mg of emissions. Therefore, even if you factor in the 4mg of mercury contained in the CFL bulb itself, the CFL is still a net winner.

61 posted on 11/11/2007 7:56:12 PM PST by rb22982
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To: rb22982

Incandescents don’t use mercury.


62 posted on 11/11/2007 7:56:33 PM PST by listenhillary (You get more of what you focus on)
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To: tubebender
Since they cost around $1.20/each at retail it can't be that much energy although it may be more than incandescent.
63 posted on 11/11/2007 7:57:12 PM PST by rb22982
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To: Westlander

Lloyd Levine (assembly person from of course California) is probably getting paid by the company or (ies) who make these bulbs. they can’t give those bulbs away.

Bill Handle was on the radio the day this bill passed explaining that the use of light bulbs only constitutes 2% of the entire electricity use in the state. Incandescent bulbs are not the problem.

Lloyd Levine is the problem.

and the companies that produce these bulbs, don’t mention that they contain mercury, a very toxic substance and will be costly to dispose of.... MORE TAXES.


64 posted on 11/11/2007 7:57:48 PM PST by television is just wrong (deport all illegal aliens NOW. Put all AMERICANS TO WORK FIRST. END Welfare)
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To: listenhillary

See post #61


65 posted on 11/11/2007 7:57:48 PM PST by rb22982
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To: Westlander

Our condo association chose to switch to CFL’s for outdoor lighting (protected - sorta)....there’s 2 on every unit that the HOA has to pay the bill for..... we’ll be saving hundreds of dollars each year, because the dern lights are on automatic sensors that come on even on a rainy or cloudy day.....and THIS is near Seattle after all. In other words, the lights are on for 8-12 hours a day.


66 posted on 11/11/2007 7:58:01 PM PST by goodnesswins (Being Challenged Builds Character! Being Coddled Destroys Character!)
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To: SamAdams76
One question about those new-style bulbs. I notice that the 100-watt version of these state that it is equal to the old-style 26-watt bulb. Does this mean that you can put these bulbs in sockets that are rated for 60 watts (the old style)?

I think you mean the other way around. A 26W CFL (new) is equivalent to a 100W incandescent (old). So a 26W CFL is most certainly compatible with a socket that is rated for a 100W, 75W, 60W, or even 40W incandescent.

67 posted on 11/11/2007 7:58:05 PM PST by Tatze (I'm in a state of taglinelessness!)
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To: goodnesswins

I agree, however, that no one should INSIST someone ONLY use CFL’s.....let the market figure it out.....sheesh. I hate commie gov’t planners.


68 posted on 11/11/2007 7:58:56 PM PST by goodnesswins (Being Challenged Builds Character! Being Coddled Destroys Character!)
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To: television is just wrong
2% is incorrect

From the DOE

As a nation, we spend about one-quarter of our electricity on lighting, at a cost of more than $37 billion annually

69 posted on 11/11/2007 7:59:30 PM PST by rb22982
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To: Westlander
"Only 10% of the power used by today's incandescent bulbs is emitted as light, while the other 90% is released as heat," Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., said when she introduced her legislation to ban standard light bulbs.

Friends should not let friends vote Dem.

And for the record CFs are great and provide great energy savings. But there are circumstances where you would want an old fashioned incandescent bulb.

70 posted on 11/11/2007 7:59:45 PM PST by Tribune7 (Dems want to rob from the poor to give to the rich)
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To: Westlander
I wonder if this “enlightened” congresswoman has heard about THERMODYNAMICS.
71 posted on 11/11/2007 8:01:02 PM PST by LukeL
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To: rb22982

So tell me again why the government should force this on us?

I guess I agree with you that we should export our mercury pollution to China. Better them than us.


72 posted on 11/11/2007 8:02:00 PM PST by listenhillary (You get more of what you focus on)
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To: DLfromthedesert
Right; and if they emit heat, then you don’t have to turn up the heater as high, right?

I'm not against the new bulbs, I'm against government mandating that I must use them. I have several light bulbs of the standard variety, when they are gone I will most likely try the new ones.

As I noted in a previous post I already have 2 CO2 detectors in my home and then state government passes a law that I must have one. It just generally pisses me off when the gov. interferes with this nanny state bull shit.

73 posted on 11/11/2007 8:02:20 PM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: listenhillary
So tell me again why the government should force this on us?

See post #49. I have no desire for the gov't to force anyone to switch to something, even if it is dumb to not do it.

74 posted on 11/11/2007 8:03:19 PM PST by rb22982
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To: rb22982

They are made in China where coal fired powered plants are more common than in America and China could care less about stack scrubbers to clean mercury and other pollutants..


75 posted on 11/11/2007 8:04:02 PM PST by tubebender (My weight is perfect for my height... which varies...)
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To: rb22982

Exporting our mercury pollution to China. As Martha Stewart would say “It’s a good thing”


76 posted on 11/11/2007 8:04:53 PM PST by listenhillary (You get more of what you focus on)
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To: rb22982
See post #49. I have no desire for the gov't to force anyone to switch to something, even if it is dumb to not do it.

I agree with you. I see the issue as being about government interference and not light bulbs at all.

77 posted on 11/11/2007 8:05:25 PM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: tubebender

Right...but at a retail cost of $1.20 (which mean cost to the merchant of about 70¢ and cost to the producer of probably 50¢) the amount of energy would be next to nothing and hardly anything more than a regular light bulb. That ignores the fact that the normal CFL lasts for 5 years and a normal bulb lasts 1 year (meaning you’d have to purchase 5 bulbs). You also would be cutting off (according to the DOE) 18% of your energy use at your home to switch. I saw a 20% decline in energy use and a monthly savings of $30, personally.


78 posted on 11/11/2007 8:06:55 PM PST by rb22982
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To: gitmo

CFL’s last way longer. 4 of them can be bought for $7. You can buy dimmable ones. They operate on 1/4 of the wattage of an incandescent to produce the same lumens.


79 posted on 11/11/2007 8:08:07 PM PST by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
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To: gitmo
My husband, who think global warming is a hoax, replaced all of our 100 watt ceiling spot lights with the “warm light” CFL’s about 3 years ago. He did this because even the long lasting incandescents were only lasting about 1 year and it was a pain for him to get a ladder and replace the bulbs that are recessed in the ceiling None of the 30 plus CFL’s have failed in 3 years, so he is happy with them.
80 posted on 11/11/2007 8:09:17 PM PST by Aussiebabe
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