Will there be a backlash if ordinary lightbulbs are banned?

Question

I agree that we need to do something regarding global warming, but I think that banning light bulbs is a typical cheap politicians excuse to do nothing that affects the road and energy lobbies. As an artist I value the light of halogen lamps for working under and wouldn't mind paying double to use them. Where I can I've fitted CFL bulbs and am currently trying out some expensive LED lamps, but they're not really good enough. I'd get pretty mad if I have to work in dim diffuse light while public buildings are still lit at night, my neighbour still runs an SUV and we don't have high speed trains instead of planes.

Australia is banning light bulbs, it has up to now been dependant on it's huge coal stocks it sells to the Chinese, it could use solar but hasn't much up to now. The UK government made a statement that it also was looking into it. I wish they would use joined up thinking instead of cheap fixes

Answer 1

Well I am an electrical engineer, and I am stocking up on ordinary bulbs. The low energy ones just don't come close to being as efficient, plus they won't work in ovens microwaves ,freezers ,fridges and they are terrible to read by. They also use huge amounts of energy to manufacture.

Edit: People should be aware that our government have announced that they are starting banning bulbs from 2008, starting with 150 watts, and working down.

Answer 2

As I pointed out to the local Housing Association when they insisted that they fit this guff:
1. The "economy" light bulbs they have fitted at the top and bottom of my stairs take about 5 mins.to come up to full brightness. I can go up and down the stairs 20 times or be dead in a ditch before they comeup to the spec of a normal 60 watt bulb. "Ah" say they, "most people like to keep a light on at night for security reasons". So no savings there then.

2. For every "economy" socket they put in, I need to buy a new light shade as the old ones don't fit. Cost of each new lightshade would be recovered by me in about 5 years in electricity terms. By the time those 20 years are up and the cost of the new lampshades are paid for, I hope they have thought of some way of bringing me back from the grave so I can slap these d-heads about a bit.

3. Our local Housing Association pays the "subbies" massive sums of money every year to do this work, rather than employing their own people to do it. Justify that carbon footprint boyos.

The old (German) Greenpeace adage stiill holds true: "When the last tree is cut down, when the last sea is empty, when the last piece of land is eroded, when the last river is poisoned, then the human race will understand that you cannot eat money"

Answer 3

I'm typing this under British CFL light bulbs, and i haven't have to change a bulb in over two years! So for my purposes they are great!

But I see your point that you are an artist and need the best quality light available. Perhaps as you suggest some kind of surcharge on "non-green" light bulbs would be appropriate.

And to answer your question. We've had some truly dumb *** laws recently. (I currently have four- count em four- wheely bins outside my house) and no one;s complained so i really really doubt there would be a back lash!

Answer 4

Unfortunately, the British have a habit of not complaining enough when something like this happens, so I don't think there'll be a backlash..

I have some nice fancy light fittings that use a lot of tiny conventional bulbs, so I'll be somewhat dischuffed if they are discontinued.

However, you may be able to shop on the internet and order some from abroad. In bulk.

Answer 5

Either way as the craze goes on it can't be good. If they aren't banned they will probably end up costing more and be harder to get than CFL's. It's a small goal most people wouldn't notice the difference in light so they will probably work on that first and then move on to getting your neighbor out of his SUV.

Answer 6

Yeah, got the same political gamesmanship here in the US.

I'm not really happy with the fact that my monopolistic Chinese-made CFLs have a higher failure rate than my incandescents. Or put out lousy wavelengths. (I'm a lithographer.)

I just want to know if they'll add a tax onto them in five years "to clean up the mercury. It's for the children..."

Answer 7

I do like the new bulbs, only because I got them free. Of course, the cant be used in dimmer circuitry, and as you say micro waves etc. Banning ordinary bulbs-lunacy.

Answer 8

no, they will phase the old ones out eventually so we dont have a choice

are they truly banning light bulbs ?

Answer 9

Come on guys! You sound like a bunch of OAP's moaning about change they've seen in their live's! Thing's move on. This planet is worth saving!