Incandescent Light Bulb, You Were 100 Watts of Wonderful: A California Eulogy

By Simone Wilson Mon., Jan. 24 2011 at 10:50 AM

Appliance.net

Edison vs. the environment

If Thomas Edison were alive today, he'd surely shed a tear. January 1 marked the beginning of a sad, slow death for the brightest household light bulb known to man -- and we're not about to let it fade from our lives without a fair memorial.

Though he's more infamous for environmental unfriendliness, George W. did take the time to sign the Energy Independence and Security Act while in office: It'll phase out the 100-watt incandescent bulb in the U.S. by 2012.

California, of course, had to out-green the rest of the nation and push the ban to 2011. From here on out, the future is bathed in cold metallic lamplight...

... so stock up now if you ever want to read Jane Eyre in a proper pool of warm, gooey glow-light again. Like Four Lokos before them, the bulbs not outlawed completely, just being issued a "cease production." Now's the time to fill the cellar if you're a global-warming-be-damned lighting traditionalist.

"These standards will help cut our nation's electric bill by over $10 billion a year and will save the equivalent electricity as 30 large power plants," a Natural Resources Defense Council scientist told KTLA. "That translates into a whole lot less global warming pollution being emitted."

Another stoked environmentalist -- California Energy Commission chair Karen Douglas -- told the Los Angeles Times that "90 percent of an old-fashioned incandescent bulb's energy is wasted as heat. The new bulbs will be 28 percent more energy efficient without compromising the amount of light delivered."

Yeah, yeah. But there's really nothing like good-old-fashioned vitamin-piss bulblight.

Environmentally friendly imitators -- halogen incandescents, compact fluorescents, LEDs, etc. -- though touted as just as bright, are annoyingly neon, slow to start up and, let's face it, will never live up to the century-old standard. Want proof? Look how hard the Canadians are shivering.

There are practical downsides as well, via KTLA:

Nick Reynoza, manager at Royal Lighting inLos Angeles, said it's a shame the transition comes at a time when alternatives are so much more expensive.
"It's not really an option -- you have this or you don't get anything," he said. "The options are more expensive. Four incandescents are $1.00, the halogens are $5.99 and the LED are like $20."

Of course, that doesn't take into account all the money you'll be saving on your electric bill. But for the sake of honoring the deceased, let's put our forward-thinking greenhouse gook aside and blaze our 100-watters into the night for one final farewell.

You shone so bright, you incandescent wonder. You'll be missed. Somethin' fierce.

Tags:

Energy Independence and Security Act, environmentalism, George W. Bush, incandescent, light bulbs

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Mondofxr

While I enjoy the sentimental treatment, here's some hard hitting reporting about the unintended consequences of the replacement CFLs, and so typical of the policies of the nanny state:

* CFLs use high levels of mercury, and exposure to mercury vapor is dangerous if the bulbs are broken.*Hospitals and medical charities warn that CFL bulbs cause migraines and epilepsy attacks.*.Other critics point out that CFLs do not work well in colder temperatures, so they emit less heat, forcing Americans to use their heaters more and negating some of the energy savings.*And CFLs do not work well with dimmer switches, and the lifespan of the bulb diminishes when turned off and on frequently.

I won't even address the libertarian issues the ban evokes. But it just goes to show that "green" is a meaningless, catch-all marching order, now even co-opted by major corporations because it does little more than make people feel good about being "socially conscious" without the application of rational, fact-based thought. And don't we feel good as we really get it done here in California with our crippling deficits, outrageous taxes and fees, high unemployment and businesses fleeing in droves? In light of those issues, thinking we've done anything meaningful, or setting an example for the rest of the country, has got to be some kind of joke.