Republicans hope a state law will get around a national mandate to replace old-fashioned bulbs with more efficient lamps.
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Ironically, it was President George W. Bush, a former Texas governor, who signed the energy bill.
Supporters of the new rules, who say the fluorescent lights save money and reduce energy demand, don't understand the fuss.
The average U.S. household could save an estimated $85 per year under the rules, according to the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, a coalition of state, environmental and consumer groups and utility companies that promotes energy efficiency.
Texas and other opponents "say, 'Hey, I want to buy the most inefficient light bulb around. Why can't I?' " said Steve Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington-based think tank. His answer: "We all pay for more power plants."
"This somehow has become the poster child for overreaching government when government has regulated efficiency of appliances for years," said Jane Harman said, a former Los Angeles area Democratic congresswoman who sponsored the light-bulb rules ? with a Republican cosponsor.
The Texas law is unlikely to withstand a court challenge, said supporters of the new regulations, citing a far-reaching Supreme Court ruling in 2005 that upheld federal restrictions on home-grown marijuana in California. The court ruled that because marijuana moved in a national market, the federal government could regulate its use, even if it were grown and used only in California.
The Natural Resources Defense Council, in a letter to the Texas governor, said "the sale of inefficient bulbs in Texas ? could lead to an interstate black market in light bulbs that do not meet federal energy efficiency standards."
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I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
I believe it was Poe? Unsure. Who raised hell in a speach about the CFL bulbs, as if this was absolutely a crime against mankind. Geeze.
Once people discover their hissyfit will cost them $85 a year I think it will disappear. I use i incandesent by my bed for reading but I'll try the new line of enclosed incandescents ASAP. The rest of my lights are CFL and once I learned to allow for lead time I never notice the change.
I don't know how to use the Window's calculator but multiplying 100,000,000 times $85 got this....1176470.5882352941176470588235294 ???
I figured with a pop. over 370 million we must have at least 100 million homes.
perhaps 117 million, 647 thousand $$$ in savings during a recession?
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I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
It's just too funny how some turn a little thing into the end of the World.... "The Commies are coming" type of thing! There are alternatives to both incandescent and CFLs although expensive, I still applaud these advancements in technology. CFL & LED Bulbs: A Comparison
The future of lighting: Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
Household lighting typically accounts for 10% of your electric bill. While this might not seem like a big number, consider this: if your electric bill is $80 a month, you're paying about $96 a year for just the lighting in your home! Changing your light bulbs can significantly reduce your long-term energy costs.
Traditional incandescent bulbs convert most of their energy into heat instead of light, wasting electricy on unnecessary warmth. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the other hand, convert most of their energy into what you want most: light. Both CFLs and LEDs are also designed to last years longer than the average incandescent bulb, reducing both energy and replacement costs.
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLS) and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have risen in popularity in recent years due to their longevity and energy-efficient design. These bright, compact lights are designed to reduce your energy consumption without sacrificing light or productivity. In fact, manufacturers have created CFLs that are designed to fit into your exiting light fixtures, easing the transition from traditional incandescent bulbs to more energy-efficient alternatives. But what are CFLs and LEDs? And how do they work?
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are created by taking a traditional fluorescent tube and bending it into a compact design that fits easily into ordinary incandescent fixtures. In general, CFLs use up to 75% less electricity than conventional light bulbs while still producing a comparable amount of light. For example, a compact fluorescent bulb that uses 27 watts of electricity has the same light output as a 100 watt incandescent bulb.
Unlike typical fluorescent lights, however, compact fluorescent lights do not flicker. Furthermore, CFLs produce the same, if not better, quality light as conventional incandescent bulbs. This means you get brighter, sharper light for much less energy.
CFLs also last much longer than incandescent lights, meaning you won't need to replace them as often as ordinary bulbs. In general, for every ten incandescent light bulbs you replace, you would only need to replace one CFL. Not only does this save money, it also reduces your waste.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
While Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have been around for decades in household appliances, computers and clocks, they've only recently gained popularity as energy-efficient alternatives to incandescent bulbs.
LEDs are tiny lights produced by moving electrons in a semiconductor. There is no burning gas or filaments so LEDs are more durable and produce little to no heat. Their small size also makes LEDs extraordinarily resistant to weather and can even be waterproofed for more extreme conditions.
A single LED is rather small, but imporvements in technology have allowed for the combination of bunches of LEDs together to create consumer products ranging from powerful flashlights to Christmas lights and lamps. Large groups of LEDs have been used to replace traffic lights and brake lights in cars. Since they are designed to last for many years, these unique lights almost never need to be replaced and can withstand more extreme conditions than ordinary bulbs.
Just like compact fluorescent lights, LEDs are also incredibly energy efficient and use only a fraction of the energy needed to power a single incandescent bulb. In fact, LEDs use 1/50 of the energy of a standard bulb and last 10 times longer than their CFL alternatives. A typical LED bulb can last up to 15 years without needing to be changed! They are not as versatile in traditional light fixtures, however, and are generally more expensive than compact fluorescents.
I was gobbling down facts in your post when it hit me that those who think saving the Earth is a "gubmint plot" and global warming is a myth won't read this. They have "opinions" and resent anything cluttering them up like facts.
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I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
I bought two small LED lights for my pendant lights in my kitchen that are very bright and so economical, I use them for night nights. I really like them, but sure wish they would come down in price, which I expect to happen as demand gets higher.
We need to explore marketing these low wattage bulbs, solar panels and efficient appliances throughout India, China and Asia in general. Our prices will drop when half the planet buys into saving itself.
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I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
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