Tripping the Light – Fantastic?

What do Cuba , Australia and Europe have in common? Hey! Besides that! How about they are the first countries in the world to ban the use of the incandescent light bulb in favor of its twisty and vastly more expensive (not counting electrical consumption, of course) florescent replacement? From less than a “buck-a-bulb” for the old “glowy” kind to fifteen to twenty times more money for that new, “not-quite-as-pretty” substitute.

By treaty, the European Union has pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2020, and these bulbs seem to consume up to 80% less electricity to generate the same light levels and last a lot longer than conventional bulbs. So EU regulators have started, effective September 1^st, by taking 100 watt incandescents off the market (shopkeepers can still sell off their old inventory), with 60 and 40 watt bulbs being phased out over the next few years. The energy savings are obviously huge as well. With 45% reduction in electrical power generation, the environmental cleansing from these spiral bulbs has to be spectacular.

A house with fluorescents is said to save a pile of money a year, the EU thinks the average household will save €50 per household (about $70), aggregating a huge €5 billion ($7 billion) for the entire European Union. Picture a carnival or Las Vegas without incandescents. Doesn’t seem the same… maybe because it won’t be. Think of all the money that needs to be spent when we ban those nasty incandescents, currently scheduled for 2012 in the United States , on sign replacements! Wow, now that’s a “green shoot” for new jobs and opportunities!

There are a few clear disadvantages, assuming you accept the quality of the resulting lights as comparable (some folks really have problems with fluorescent lamps, but the bulbs are getting better). Many think the resulting light is a little harsh. If you have your lights on dimmers, you have to buy a special kind of fluorescent bulb that accommodates that dimming capacity. Also, epileptics and certain folks afflicted with anxiety disorders also have an uncomfortable reaction to fluorescent light.

And then there’s this toxic mercury thang to worry about. The bulbs have an average of 5 milligrams of mercury per bulb now, and even if they reduce this to a more acceptable 2 milligrams, it’s still poison. This little snippet from the August 31^st New York Times has me a tad worried: “[T]he European Commission acknowledged that compact fluorescent lamps had to be handled with extra caution. If one breaks, people are advised to air out rooms and avoid using vacuum cleaners when cleaning up the mess to prevent exposure to mercury and other electronic parts in the bulbs, officials said. Instead, householders should remove the debris with a wet cloth while avoiding contact with skin. Used bulbs should be put in special collection receptacles, officials said.” “No Spot, put the light bulb down!”

So I’m picturing exactly how Americans will react when they are told what kinds of lights they can and cannot use. Hmmmm. Particularly Texans. Yeah! Breathe deeply!

I’m Peter Dekom, and I thought this was interesting.