California to ban the lightbulb?
California is known for having some progressive environmental policies - but banning the light bulb?
Los Angeles assemblyman Lloyd Levine is proposing to ban the incadescent light bulb in the state by 2012. Why? Because they are inefficient, they've been around for about 120 years, and they are inefficient.
What's the alternative? The compact flourescent light bulb of course! Or more lovingly referred to as the CFL - the traditional light bulb's spiral counterpart.
According to Energy Star, the US government agency that stamps its mark on energy efficient goods, CFLs provide the same amount of light, use 2/3 less energy, and last up to 10 times longer. That means you'll be spending less in your monthly electricity bill and you'll be changing light bulbs every couple of YEARS instead of every couple of months.
They also have some tips on how to get the most out of your new CFL bulb:
- Replace bulbs where lights are on the most, such as your family and living room, kitchen, dining room, and porch.
- Matching the right CFL to the right kind of fixture helps ensure that it will perform properly and last a long time. Read the packaging to be sure that the type you choose works for the fixture you have in mind
- if a light fixture is connected to a dimmer or 3-way switch, select CFLs that are labeled for this use
- For recessed fixtures, it is better to use a 'reflector' CFL versus a standard-shaped bulb.
- Choose the color that works best for you. For example, while most CFLs are created with warm colors for your home, you could choose a cooler color for task lighting.
- To get a CFL with the right amount of light, choose one that offers the same lumen rating as the light you are replacing. The higher the lumen rating, the greater the light output.
Read more about the proposed California ban on the bulb.
And Levine isn't the first to suggest the ban - keep up to date on more light bulb news at UK based BanTheBulb.org
Already made the great switch-out? Check out TreeHugger's top 10 tip on more ways you can green your lighting.
Tags: California, cfl, Green Tech, Home and Garden, light bulb, Political News
February 1st, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Inititives liuke this are an important step in helping reduce energy consumption however, by simply enforcing rules like banning light bulbs, we are not fueling solutions. If people are led by example from people they look up to, leaders, social heroes etc. or are rewarded for creative solution then other are more likely to start looking for ways to change their own life.
February 1st, 2007 at 11:15 pm
As a Californian, I would tend to agree that this seems like a heavy-handed step to take.
But! Some California electric utilities (most notably PG&E) are actively subsidizing CFLs in the state. I was in a Walgreens drug store earlier this week, and they had 4-packs of 100 watt equivalent efficient CFLs on sale for…
$2
50 cents a piece! That's dirt cheap, and the payback period for people purchasing them is a month or two at the most. With that in mind, banning the incandescent looks a little more (to me) like banning CFCs or DDT: Other, better alternatives are available and affordable.
April 20th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
[...] 10. - San Francisco Votes To Ban The Plastic Bag, Red, Green & Blue: Is It Time for a Plastic Bag R.I.P.?, California to ban the lightbulb? [...]
May 16th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Put your CFL in home automation and you will shorten the life of CFL. It’s a good feature!
I’m sorry, but I will throw away all CFLs that reaches my home, no matter which state I’m in (I’m in Florida).