This article is about the 2007 bill that was passed and signed which heightens efficiency standards for incandescent light bulbs. More specifically, “it sets standards for the amount of light emitted per watt of power used. Current 100 watt bulbs must become 25 percent more efficient.” Many people see this as government encroachment on telling us what kind of light we can use in our homes and also do not want to pay for the more expensive, flickering, hazardous fluorescent bulbs. These regulations have already started to affect the economy. General Electric had to shut its last US incandescent producing plant down last fall because most of the fluorescent bulbs are made in Asia. Although, many light bulb producing companies are working on alternatives to fit the new standards such as LED and halogen incandescent bulbs.
I think that the new regulations are a good idea in theory. Reducing energy use as well as electric bills is something that I’m sure is a top priority for many people. However, until there is a better alternative to the current light bulbs, I think people will still complain. Also many people have started to stock up on the old light bulbs so that they will still have them once they are removed from the shelves. This seems to defeat the purpose of the regulations because they will still be using the same amount of energy as we were before. However, there is no way of regulating that without the government going into every home to inspect their light bulbs, and there would definitely be an uproar about that. I think the regulations also need to include some sort of way to keep light bulb production “local.” A good portion of the sustainable effort is getting products from places as local as possible in order to cut down on transportation and packing costs. If we are importing all of our lightbulbs from Asia, we are negatively affecting our economy defeating the whole “Green Movement” to begin with.
--Kristen Wilkinson
