‘They came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs’
Earlier this afternoon, we gave a mention to SB 61, the bill that declares Georgia’s sovereign authority over incandescent light bulbs that do not cross state lines.
Federal energy efficiency regulations are forcing a phase-out of Mr. Edison’s version. Here’s the gist of the bill:
”Notwithstanding any other law, a person may possess, use, manufacture, purchase, install, transport, sell, or internationally export an incandescent light bulb that is manufactured commercially or privately in this state if the light bulb is not exported to another state.
“This Code section applies to an incandescent light bulb that is manufactured in this state from basic materials and that can be manufactured without the inclusion of any significant parts imported from another state. The importation into this state of any generic or insignificant part that has other manufacturing or consumer product applications or any basic materials does not subject the incandescent light bulb to federal regulation.”
State Sen. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville
As it turned out, the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, has written an op-ed piece explaining the measure. Here it is:
First, they came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs.
Believe it or not, I’m serious about this.
In 1995, the federal government tried to mandate water conservation. All homes would use low-flow toilets and, of course, water would be saved. Well, now that all toilets in the U.S. flush with no more than 1.6 gallons of water, a University of Arizona study showed that people just flush twice. The bottom line: no significant water savings.
The federal government, once again, shows the worth of its good intentions.
Now, in an effort to save energy, the federal watchdogs prove they have not learned anything from the great toilet fiasco of 1995. By 2014, energy efficiency limits on 40- to 100-watt light bulbs will effectively ban most standard incandescent light bulbs in the United States of America. You do remember all that “land of the free” mumbo jumbo, right?
The government, it seems, wants us to use the more expensive but “efficient” compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). The math is simple: CFL bulbs use less energy; if everyone uses CFL bulbs, energy consumption will drop. Well, if you said it can’t be that simple, you’d be right. CFL bulbs cost three times more to produce, take more energy to manufacture and 80 percent of them are made in China, meaning they are shipped across the globe on oil-guzzling tanker ships.
Making matters worse, CFL bulbs contain mercury and are considered an environmental hazard to homes and businesses. The U.S. Environment Protection Agency offers guidelines on how to clean up broken CFL bulbs. The guidelines are three-pages long and, according to the EPA Website, will be updated as more information becomes available.
According to the EPA, the minimum actions that should be taken once a CFL bulb is broken include: open doors and windows for 5-10 minutes, shut off the air conditioner or heater, scoop up broken material and place it in a glass container with a metal lid, use duct tape to clean up the remaining particles and put the used duct tape in a glass jar with a metal lid. If you vacuum the area, you must remove the vacuum bag when you are done, put it in a sealed plastic bag and get it out of your house.
However you choose to clean up, you should let the house air out, without the AC or heater going, for “several hours.” The next several times you vacuum the area, you again should open windows and doors for several hours, turn off the AC and heater and seal the vacuum bag in a plastic bag. Some states, the EPA says, have specific guideline for where you must go to dispose of the sealed plastic bags and glass jars with metal lids.
I’ve used CFL bulbs in my house, mostly to see if I noticed a difference. My power bill did not seem to change but I can say with authority that the light level that these little things give off stinks.
I’ve sponsored Senate Bill 61, moving through the General Assembly now, which says federal law cannot ban incandescent bulbs in Georgia if they are made here and not shipped across state lines. Lawyers tell me this may not work. The federal government rules are too strong for state law to overcome. I’m going to push anyway. Maybe, just maybe, common sense is not lying broken in a pile of mercury-tainted glass.
In other words, you can have my filament when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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76 comments Add your comment
JM
February 17th, 2011
4:33 pm
what are we going to do with all the mercury waste from the CFLs? Mercury is one of the biggest water pollutors of all time?
Keith
February 17th, 2011
4:41 pm
Barry I love you man and I appreciate this bill, but how can you keep a straight face. It’s OK to rail against an overbearing federal government while at the same time denying residents the ability to purchase a legal substance on Sunday?
Cutty
February 17th, 2011
4:55 pm
What an a$$. Did he feel the same about local control when it came to Sunday sales? If not, he needs to stfu.
Georgia Voter
February 17th, 2011
4:58 pm
“I’ve sponsored Senate Bill 61, moving through the General Assembly now, which says federal law cannot ban incandescent bulbs in Georgia if they are maDde here and not shipped across state lines” Do we make light bulbs here in Georgia? If so, I’ll buy them. I’m always happy to buy items that are made in the USA whenever I can actually find some.
Toes the Line
February 17th, 2011
4:59 pm
What a dim bulb. Galloway, are you making this stuff up?
Bryan
February 17th, 2011
5:04 pm
Speaking of mercury . . . hey Barry – what about out that mercury in the water from the coal fired power plant in Cartersville? When was the last time you ate the fish that comes out of the Etowah? Ohh wait – you and your rich GOP buddies probably fly out to Montana to fly fish – dumb question.
JE
February 17th, 2011
5:06 pm
I have 1.6 gal water-saving toilets, and NEVER have to flush them twice. The early ones sucked, but manufacturers improved them over the years. The same thing is happening with CFLs… they are quickly falling in price and the light output and durability is increasing over the 1st generation versions.
Gotta’ love Georgia legislators; they are absolute experts at looking like they’re doing something while they do NOTHING to solve this state’s numerous problems.
cs
February 17th, 2011
5:08 pm
I agree with him. The new bulbs are not worth their price. I will not buy anymore as they blow just as quick as the one’s they are to replace. If the feds want to save energy so bad, then turn off all the night lights, street lights, etc in washington dc.
JoeV
February 17th, 2011
5:11 pm
@cs
they blow just as quick as the one’s they are to replace.
Horesh!t. I’ve had CFL’s in use for 3+ years with out so much as a flicker.
three jack
February 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
We can’t get to work w/o sitting in hours of traffic, our kids are not being educated, our water supply is controlled by a federal judge and worst of all, we can’t buy a freakin beer on Sunday. All of this going on and Barry Loudermilk is worried about light bulbs?! REALLY?
Mrs.Glenn Richardson
February 17th, 2011
5:15 pm
You never worry about a light bulb of any kind illuminating over Barry’s head.
cj
February 17th, 2011
5:18 pm
So this is the most important issue facing Georgia these days? Good lord, could the people running our state get any stupider?
Last Man Standing
February 17th, 2011
5:22 pm
Still see y’all b*tching about the Sunday sales. Write, call or picket your representative, file a suit questioning constitutionality or cry on your mama’s shoulder. Just do something besides forever blogging about it!
No Dog in this Hunt
February 17th, 2011
5:24 pm
There are now new incandesent bulbs that cost less to make than the Edison version we still use, and they use less power than CFLs. The man who developed the patent stated that the real issue is that the new bulb will soon be illegal so he can’t get any manufacturer to license it.
His claim is that with the original bulbs being so cheap, no one tried to improve them. He thought about the CFLs, hated the quality of the light, and started experimenting with different filiments and designs. The claim is a bulb that costs about 10 cents more than a standard incandescent and generates about 50-60 lumens per watt. The standard bulbs generate about 13-18 and CFLs generate about 60-70.
While the new bred of incandescents are still a little shy of the CFLs, they don’t use mercury and are much less damaging to manufacture.
silent jay
February 17th, 2011
5:28 pm
They’re coming for the toilets and light bulbs in the Gambling Zones that sell liquor on Sunday.
750,000 Georgia jobs gone in the last 8 years, we lead the nation in bank failures, and are almost #1 in foreclosures. And this what’s important to the Republicans? We’re screwed.
Catherine
February 17th, 2011
5:29 pm
I can almost guarantee that people will not follow any special guidelines to dispose of old CFLs. They will just sweep them up or take out the burned out ones and throw them in the trash. Then all that mercury goes into the landfill. A couple years ago I replaced my regular bulbs in the breakfast room with CFLs and they burned out within months. The same goes for the ones I put in the bathroom fixture. Back to the old type. This whole idea is a disaster waiting to happen.
No Dog in this Hunt
February 17th, 2011
5:29 pm
No sale of alcohol on Sunday is constitutional, or at least until someone with millions risks it all to get Blue laws thrown out. I’m not biting, but I will continue to complain, blog, and vote against those sitting legislators that blocked this vote.
There are two types of Republicans, the bible thumpers and the fiscally conservative, minimal government believers. Life goes on but I will remember the incumbants when it comes time to vote. They have no defense. As the hind dog, I hate looking up to Al., Tenn. and SC.
Linda Schrenko #56443-019
February 17th, 2011
5:30 pm
I remember when this picture was taken. He’s not wearing pants!
Tweets that mention ‘First, they came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs’ | Political Insider -- Topsy.com
February 17th, 2011
5:40 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jim Galloway, Atlanta News Feed. Atlanta News Feed said: AJC: ‘They came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs’ http://brkg.at/eN7CdM [...]
Pootin
February 17th, 2011
5:42 pm
I am ordering in a supply of good ol’ incandescents and the Feds be damned. Same to all you “hamby pamby / do-gooder / control your neighbor” types. Buy stock now in incandescent manufacturers and make enough money to contribute to freedom respecting representatives. Got one shipment already and more are on the way. There are plenty of suppliers out there. The 100 watt bulbs are up for extinction first and soon. If your eyes aren’t that good you can’t read under those stupid coiled up “loser lights” anyway. What has it come to people. And another thing-there is no such thing as Soy Milk as milk comes from mammals, not beans dumba$$. Tofu that!!!
cs
February 17th, 2011
5:44 pm
Horesh!t. I’ve had CFL’s in use for 3+ years with out so much as a flicker.
Are you using them as a sex toy or for lighting? I dont know what name brand I bought but in a home lighting fixture mine didnt last long.
I'm breaking up
February 17th, 2011
5:45 pm
Well, dadgummit, they can’t have ‘em……enoughs enough. I’m going out tomorrow and buy me a twenty year supply……I’ll be dead before I use ‘em all
They don’t need to mess with us old folks…..we’ll show ‘em.
Johns Creek resident
February 17th, 2011
5:48 pm
The CFL bulbs I bought at Home Depot have not lasted as long as advertised. Not sure there is any cost savings given the higher cost of the CFL and the bulb life that is not as long as advertised. Feds should test the CFLs to confirm the claims about how long the CFL light bulbs last. Maybe if they are not used they last a long time. I understand some of the CFLs cannot be installed upside down or on their side, such as in a ceiling fixture.
Tweets that mention ‘First, they came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs’ | Political Insider -- Topsy.com
February 17th, 2011
5:51 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jim Galloway, Maxine Wilson. Maxine Wilson said: RT @politicalinsidr: ‘They came for our toilets. Now, they want our light bulbs’ http://bit.ly/eDXq9K [...]
Tom
February 17th, 2011
6:09 pm
I don’t need a list of legislators for the next election, I’m just going to vote against ALL incumbents. As for the citizens being deprived of the opportunity to vote on the issue of sunday sales, we need a movement to strip the tax exempt status on churches. They are nothing but political action committees for the knuckle draggers that think their viewpoint supersedes that of everyone else because god is on their side. For every church with tax exempt status, the rest of the citizens have to pick up the tax tab for it so it increases all of our taxes. Why should I have to pay additional taxes to support the tax exempt status of a political action committee veiled in the guise of being a church? Make the churches pay taxes on all income and property they own.
Last Man Standing
February 17th, 2011
6:13 pm
New headline posted states that Atlanta is second highest in nation at placing people in “crime risk”. Atlanta has beaten out Detroit, even! Way to go, Big “A”! At last, you are first at something!
Why was I not surprised?
jconservative
February 17th, 2011
6:15 pm
He may be an expert on light bulbs but he knows nothing about toilets.
My old house has the old style toilets. When you flush 4 gallons of water goes down the drain. My new house has the new toilets and the toilets use the 1.6 gallons mentioned. If you flush twice, we never do, you would still realize a water savings.
Why does he flush twice? Is he full of………….?
Just asking.
Centrist
February 17th, 2011
6:18 pm
Trashed another of those “longer lasting” dead CFL bulbs today. The lighting was worse and claims of longer lasting is a fraud. I have now replaced all of my dead CFL’s except for one still working, and I’ll rejoice when it dies an early death since it gives off so little light.
The good news is there will be a huge black market on incandescent bulbs (made in China) sold out of car trunks and from street vendors. The laws of supply and demand cannot be repealed any more than the attempts to repeal the laws of physics.
JP
February 17th, 2011
6:29 pm
Reading this article makes me think that every single legislator needs to be drug-tested.
Rafe Hollister
February 17th, 2011
6:32 pm
The litigation is silly, we can just stock up on the incandescent bulbs, as I am doing, and buy booze on Sunday. He is right about the lack of light emitted from the curly kew flickers and the cost involved. I get his point that we are losing our freedoms, but we have lost much more important freedoms than this, and no one stood up and said enough with this nanny state before.
Jeff Foxworthy
February 17th, 2011
6:34 pm
Ms. Richardson and Ms. Schrenko; mayonaise some funny women out dere.
Douglas
February 17th, 2011
6:42 pm
Does anyone even MAKE light bulbs in Georgia? Every one, incandescent or CFL, that I’ve seen is from frickin CHINA or Mexico.
I for one am glad that Mr. Loudermilk is busy with this. It keeps him busy and out of the way of the adults who are trying to make Georgia thrive. You go ahead with your little legislation, Mr. L. — he’s just so cute when he tries to be serious!
CP
February 17th, 2011
6:49 pm
What district is this knucklehead in?
clifton
February 17th, 2011
7:02 pm
The people who have new toilets and only flush once must not mind having waste remaining in the bowl. Gross. And, no, those blasted curly light bulbs don’t provide enough light, although mine are very long-lasting. Everyone I know wraps them in newspaper and then in plastic that wrapped in duct tape when they finally die (the bulbs, not the users). The package goes in the trash. Mine haven’t died yet, thank goodness.
No Longer Republican
February 17th, 2011
7:03 pm
What an idiot. See what happens in Georgia? Economy is in the toilet, thousands of people looking for work and we are gonna worry about light bulbs? If he wants less government interference how about letting people decide on Sunday alcohol sales and let people marry who they want to marry. Those are REAL examples of an over bearing government.
Big Bob
February 17th, 2011
7:20 pm
Ever noticed that if you the the H(el)l out of Sarah PALIN all you’re left with is PAIN. Think about it.
Lou Minescent
February 17th, 2011
7:29 pm
I have stockpiled enough 60, 75 and 100 watt incandescent light bulbs to last me ten years. Figure that’s enough time for ‘em to invent something better to replace those stupid CFL things.
Beck
February 17th, 2011
8:00 pm
I’ve never had one of the new lightbulbs blow out and I’m using them exclusively at home and at school. At home it’s been almost 2 years now and at school it’s been 5 years now. And I would rather clean up one of those broken lightbulbs than a standard broken lightbulb ANY DAY. They don’t shatter like regular glass and are way easier to clean up and find all of the pieces.
Neshnev
February 17th, 2011
8:13 pm
Barry Loudermilk is brought to you by all the “bright” voters in Rome and Cartersville GA.
Joseph P. McClelland, III
February 17th, 2011
8:16 pm
This guy is a liar. There is no way he is this dumb. He is talking down to idiots.
Boris Badnoff
February 17th, 2011
8:18 pm
No longer drink. But in my day I used a funnel. What is it with you booze hounds? Simply buy enough on the other six days of the week and you’ll never have to spend a Sunday sober. I certainly would not have a problem with a law that lets you buy the light bulb you want on 6 days a week and you can only buy those CFLs on Sunday. I have purchased several of the CFLs. You can get more light out of fireflies in a jar. What going to happen is REAL light bulbs will be the new moonshine or cocaine with people smuggling them in from other countries and the light bulb police trying to stop them. You will only peel my incandescent bulbs from my cold dead hands. Let there be light.
zylepp
February 17th, 2011
8:20 pm
What about the right the state og GA takes away? Like not being able to buy a bottle of wine on Sunday because someone else goes to church tht day? What about the right to smoke a cigarette which is getting harder and harder to do. Johns?? I have three 1.6 gal comodes and I would say I have to flush twice maybe one time in twenty compared to one time in 30 with the old type. If someone has to flush twice all the time they should look at just how food they are eating. Probably over three pounds and then there is no law that says you can’t flush the john five times if you want like there is a law saying i can’t buy wine on Sunday so figure that out!
Print More!
February 17th, 2011
8:29 pm
I honestly don’t know what that stats are on bulbs or toilets, but speaking from my own experience, my low-flow toilets flush just fine and my CFLs have outlasted my incandescents.
That said, I don’t really know if those CFL bulbs have saved me any money, and I don’t like that they contain mercury.
FYI, Ikea recycles CFL bulbs, but I didn’t want to drive to Atlantic Station to dump off my dead ones, so I was happy to see that Home Depot is now recycling them. Hmmm…wonder what happens when someone breaks a CFL bulb in one of their recycling containers…do Ikea/Home Depot have to evacuate? Gee, I hear another AJC headline coming…Shopping at Ikea Leads to Mercury Poisoning!
Studies should be conducted to see whether or not there is a true environmental benefit to be gained before forcing any new product on us in the name of environmentalism. And it would be nice to be able to buy more goods manufactured in Georgia, or at least the U.S. Chinese products may be cheap, but they’re not a bargain if they don’t work right and/or fall apart too soon.
While we’re on the topic, allow me to debunk a currently popular environmental myth: paper usage is not destroying our forests or environment. Over-development and plastic usage, however, are another matter.
It’s OK to print! Paper is biodegradable, recyclable, renewable and sustainable. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of people, and working forests help the environment by providing clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage. Without the income gained from trees sold for paper production, many landowners could not afford their property taxes and would be forced to sell their tree farms to the highest payer (most often developers).
I wonder if Kindles contain the same toxic materials that monitors do? Hmmm…..
Ok, getting off my soapbox now.
This is Mrs. Norman Maine
February 17th, 2011
8:33 pm
Over on the education blog, Maureen wants to know if our legislators will show leadership and do the right thing about HOPE. After reading this column, I think we have our answer.
doug
February 17th, 2011
9:15 pm
The federal government is absolutely trying to control our lives. I am already stocking up on incandescent bulbs.
JohnD
February 17th, 2011
9:16 pm
after reading this story, and I finished laughing, I had to email this senator.
http://www.barryloudermilk.com/index-6.html
pn
February 17th, 2011
9:18 pm
I’ve used CFL’s for at least eight years. Every light in my house now is a CFL, and my electrical bill has reflected it for years. The first bunch I bought from Home Depot did not last nearly as long as advertised, but all the CFL’s I’ve bought in the past four years or so are still doing fine. The light mimics incandescent light perfectly. But now I am waiting for them to perfect LED’s and put a bigger dent in the profits of a certain monopolistic energy company.
Pootin
February 17th, 2011
9:26 pm
pn-
liar, liar, pants on fire, but not from the light heat generated from your beansprout tofu bulbs. you’ll go blind.
Loudermouth MercuryBrain
February 17th, 2011
9:28 pm
What a fake GOP-T lacky. Ludditemilk made his money after his government/military service and those advantages by making a technology company to service and exploit Democrat broadband initiatives, wiring city monopoly cable and Internet companies. Now he’s concerned about government powers, and electric power? What a fraud–here he is in the mercury-coal soot from Plant Bowen, reducing funding for EPD and education–quoting some hokey study from GOP-T Arizona about flushing crap and claiming he’s worried about mercury.
The mercury he and his GOP ilk are exposing us to comes from the megalandfills in Cherokee and Forsyth county on the banks of the Etowah that fills Lake Allatoona and Cartersville and Cassville drink, along with a ot of Cobb County. Just put those 1st generation light bulbs in the trash, his kids can drink the mercury. Meanwhile, Loudermouth and the GOP-T just want to make a joke of Georgia all the way to the failing banks. Their banking committee appointee is even under indictment. What an embarrassment. He’s also for making the Savannah port deeper so even bigger ships from China can bring products here–so much for jobs in Georgia, you fraud.
David A. Staples
February 17th, 2011
9:39 pm
Hey Barry… regarding Sunday sales… here’s some of your own words right back at you… ‘You do remember all that “land of the free” mumbo jumbo, right?’