Light bulbs get Congressional reprieve
Good news for survivalists and others who’ve been hoarding incandescent light bulbs — Congress has given the 19th Century technology at least one more year of shelf life.
Let there be cheap light, said Thomas Edison, who perfected the production of the incandescent bulb more than 70 years after its invention.
Traditional light bulbs (the kind featured over a cartoon character’s head when he gets an idea) were marked for extinction via a 2007 law that banned their manufacture and sale after Jan. 1, 2012. Congress’ light bulb reprieve was tucked into a 1,200-page omnibus spending bill passed by Congress Thursday night.
This was odd legislation considering the replacement technology, compact fluorescent lamps, while much cheaper to operate, are far more expensive and contain chemicals toxic to humans.
I personally like CFLs, but many hate them, saying the light they produce is too unnatural or even gives them headaches.
But, the CFL on my porch has been on non-stop for at least two years.
Newer technology, LED lightbulbs, are even more expensive, but are even cheaper to operate and provide better light. I have a 12-watt led lightbulb that retails for about $25, but is supposed to last years and save enough energy to eventually pay for itself. It provides the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent, but takes a disconcerting half-second to light my bathroom.
Since many manufacturers have quit making the uber-cheap incandescent bulbs, their days are probably numbered no matter what Congress does next year. America’s last traditional light bulb plant closed last year, effectively shipping 200 jobs overseas.
Hmmmm … maybe making laws that dictate what consumers can and can’t buy in the Home Depot lighting aisle isn’t such a bright idea.
* Read more (@TheHill.com)
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75 comments Add your comment
Bert
December 16th, 2011
1:15 pm
First!
BobbyP
December 16th, 2011
1:17 pm
Gotta love the government taking care of us!
BILLY MAYS HERE
December 16th, 2011
1:24 pm
BobbyP
December 16th, 2011
1:17 pm
Gotta love the government taking care of us!
Hmm yes making us switch from an energy-hogging device little changed from the early 20th century to a more efficient light bulb that is cheaper to operate than its predecessor…. truly, we are in the grip of tyranny
Alek
December 16th, 2011
1:25 pm
Mr. Mathis:
You said: “But, the CFL on my porch has been on non-stop for at least two years.”
Why are you wasting all that energy burning a light bulb – however efficient it is – when there is no need for artifical light??? Wasting energy is wasting energy – be it by using inefficient light bulbs or burning any type of bulb unnecessarily! Shame on you.
George Mathis
December 16th, 2011
1:27 pm
Because in my neighborhood, if you don’t keep a light on someone kicks in the front door and takes everything I have worked for.
walkman
December 16th, 2011
1:30 pm
Right, Billy. More efficient and cheaper to operate. But far more toxic when disposed. Classic case of unintended consquences when our “leaders” try to make decisions for us.
BILLY MAYS HERE
December 16th, 2011
1:33 pm
walkman
December 16th, 2011
1:30 pm
Right, Billy. More efficient and cheaper to operate. But far more toxic when disposed. Classic case of unintended consquences when our “leaders” try to make decisions for us.
Here, let me help you out: you can take your spent CFL bulbs in to be recycled properly. You can look up places that do it (for free) online with cursory searches. This isn’t that hard.
C’mon dude. Try harder.
BILLY MAYS HERE
December 16th, 2011
1:35 pm
CFLs are already on their way out, anyway. LEDs, which are even more efficient than CFLs, are the future (among other technologies).
Sbinf
December 16th, 2011
1:41 pm
Perhaps do a bit of research before writing. The toxic chemical you speak of, mercury, is released into the atmosphere when we burn coal to produce electricity. The nominal bit of mercury in the bulb is still less than what a comparable amount of incandescent light would release.
Banned Poster
December 16th, 2011
1:57 pm
“Hmm yes making us switch from an energy-hogging device little changed from the early 20th century to a more efficient light bulb that is cheaper to operate than its predecessor…. truly, we are in the grip of tyranny”
No, it’s just the government muddling their way into the marketplace. Face it, it already costs the country 200 jobs and will cause pricing to increase eventually to consumers who will one day have to purchase these bulbs. Let the market drive this and not government.
“Here, let me help you out: you can take your spent CFL bulbs in to be recycled properly. You can look up places that do it (for free) online with cursory searches. This isn’t that hard.”
Yep and one day these will be like other chemicals you have to recycle and everyplace will eventually start charging you to do so.