Climate Deniers and Tea Party republicans have apparently decided “If the 100 Watt bulb was good enough for Jesus, its good enough for me.”
The great grandson of Thomas Edison weighs in.
If my great-grandfather, Thomas Edison, were alive today, I have no doubt he’d view Congress as most Americans do — with anger and disgust. His reasons would be personal, however. The House Republicans’ effort to stifle lighting innovation flies in the face of everything this great American innovator and path-breaking businessman stood for.
So what’s the light bulb kerfuffle about? Starting Jan. 1, the bulbs you buy must be more efficient and use less electricity, under a 2007 law signed by President George W. Bush.
This would have thrilled my great-grandfather. Edison was one of history’s most prolific inventors, with nearly 1,100 patents involving electricity, the phonograph, one of the first ticker tapes and much more.
Many, if not most, of his inventions involved making things work better and more efficiently. He would have been at the forefront of efforts to do the same with his light bulb. After all, innovation and invention defined him.
Somehow, though, this new efficiency law is being demonized and misrepresented by a small group of political ideologues in and out of Congress. They have spun a fear-mongering tale that has left some Americans confused and frightened. There are crazy claims that incandescent light bulbs will be banned, and that Big Brother government is running your life.
This is nonsense. The new standards don’t outlaw the incandescent bulb. Instead, they have spurred much needed innovation and improvements — the kind Edison loved. You are still able to buy incandescent bulbs. The difference is they will use less electricity and cut energy costs.
Luckily, House Republicans’ latest effort to derail this with a legislative rider that defunds enforcement for a few months amounts to little more than a speed bump on the road to the light bulb revolution.
Starting last Sunday, the new standards required manufacturers to make new 100-watt bulbs that use at least 28 percent less energy. The same goes for 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 40- and 60-watt bulbs in 2014. This can save consumers real money; an estimated $100 to $200 per household each year — or $12 billion annually for the nation.
“Lighting technology is changing dramatically and it’s much more than just grabbing a light bulb from the hardware store shelf,” said Rodney Heller, Lead Lighting Designer at Energy Performance Lighting (EPL)
Heller recommends four steps that will help businesses and consumers adjust to the future of electric lighting:
Don’t be afraid of change Realize that there are many more choices than just the compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb. For example, halogen bulbs provide instant brightness and last 6 times longer than incandescents.
Select cool/blue colors for alertness and warm/yellow colors to relaxDon’t fret the higher cost of LEDs. The energy savings will quickly offset that cost and the price of LEDs will drop by the end of 2012. “We’ve got many different bulb choices for selecting energy efficiency, wattage and light color,” said Heller. “We are only now beginning to understand how the color of light affects us physically and psychologically.
Not only will you be able to save up to 75 percent on your lighting bill, you’ll be able to install lights and never have to replace them in your lifetime!”
My Dear Senator Coburn (Oklahoma) rose up against what he said was a loss of freedom to buy incandescent bulbs..He said he just could not see with the LED LIGHTS.I guess he is not as bad as Inhofe?
Jean Mcmahon said:
“My Dear Senator Coburn (Oklahoma) …He said he just could not see with the LED LIGHTS.”
There are none so blind as those that refuse to see.
Dr. Tom Coburn is one of the brightest people in Congress. That’s why he stocked up on 100W bulbs.
Republicans might yet get the ban overturned. But, even if they do, it’s too late for the workers who lost their jobs making light bulbs in America. The factories are closed, now, and the new CFLs are all made in China, where lax environmental and worker safety standards, and low labor costs, make it the ideal location for producing products that contain mercury.
“..one of the brightest people in Congress. That’s why he stocked up on 100W bulbs.”
hilarious and revealing non sequitur.
It’s really amazing that Republicans continue to try and block this legislation even though everyone supports it, including light bulb manufacturers. The only people who oppose it are ignoramuses like WUWT readers (who were celebrating the Republicans’ efforts recently) and brainwashed Fox News viewers, who have bought the lie that the legislation will ban incandescents.
The echo chamber alternate reality at work.
everyone supports it except the troglodyte right that has taken control of the GOP – with the aid of the Fox News alternative reality distortion field.
What the Democrats SHOULD have done is mandate lightbulb packaging that includes estimates the electricity costs, so that consumers could more easily make rational choices balancing the costs and values of various bulbs. That would have achieved the desired energy savings WITHOUT rendering Easy Bake Ovens obsolete and offending the sensibilities of everyone who loves liberty.
Instead, the Nanny State Democrats chose to micromanage our lives.
Dave, I suggest you let the easybake go and try microwaveable dinners.
It’s much more convenient when Barbie, Pooh, and GI Joe are coming to your dinner party.
Dave, is that satire or am I too dim? I detect a whiff of easybake oven pie. I could buy new 100W bulbs and paint a filter on them to dim them and sell them as 75W bulbs. Easybake patriot bulbs?