Friday, February 11, 2011

Say goodbye to incandescent light bulbs

If you really love traditional metal-filament light bulbs, 2011 is the year to stock up on them, because you'll soon be hard-pressed to find them on store shelves.

Mooresville-based home improvement giant Lowe's put out a press release commemorating incandescent light bulb inventor Thomas Edison's 164th birthday Friday - and reminding customers that federal energy efficiency legislation mandates a gradual phase-out of incandescent bulbs from 2012 to 2014.

"While the phonograph has been replaced by sleek digital music devices, the telegraph by texting and the motion-picture camera by advanced, hi-definition and 3D technologies, we’re still using the incandescent light bulb today," Lowe's said in the release.

Lowe's, like most retailers, is offering a greater selection of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), halogen and LED light bulbs in advance of the new regulations. Although CFLs cost more upfront ($9.48 for a four-pack of 100-watt Sylvania CLFs vs. $4.48 for an eight-pack of 100-watt Sylvania incandescents at Lowe's), supporters say CFLs can save more than $40 over their lifetime by using three-quarters less energy and lasting ten times as long as incandescent bulbs.

IKEA is the first major retailer to totally phase out incandescents, which they did in January. Retailers are working hard to sell customers on the energy efficiency and long-term savings of new light bulb options, presumably to help them deal with the sticker shock of vanished cheap lighting options.

And evidence suggests they have a lot of work to do getting customers' attention. A telephone survey of about 1,000 adults commissioned by IKEA and released last month found that 61 percent are unaware that incandescents are about to burn out for good because of the new federal rules.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very sad as most incandescent bulbs were produced in Ohio. Now the "green" bulbs are produced in China and full of Mercury.

Anonymous said...

In the winter using old-fashioned bulbs just help heat the house. No wastage at all. In cold climates the supposed savings in energy will just translate into more oil or gas burned. In our climate here in NC, maybe the savings will work out to zero, with some gain in the winter, and loss in the summer.

Anonymous said...

Just more in-your-face Government.
I love my incandescent bulbs. And no, I am not a conservative.

Anonymous said...

Stock up while you can. Government is out of control. These control freaks need to leave us alone.

Michael Procton said...

The whole move is idiotic. Let's require that consumers settle for an inferior product, all in the name of "going green." I love waiting five minutes for a room to finally light up fully...only to realize it's STILL TOO DARK!

Anonymous said...

I'm not saying that CFLs are the answer, but I'm glad that strides are being made to improve our energy efficiency. Unless the government steps in, Americans will continue to use whatever technology that 1) they are accustomed to and 2) is most agreeable to them, with no concern for the environment - or, as some people like to point out - the world our grandchildren will inherit.

Comments like those on this post make me sad to think what that inheritance may end up being like.

modern outdoor lighting said...

Everyone (including me) is waiting for the release of these new light bulbs. It is more beneficial for us. It is environment friendly and you can even save energy using it. We are looking forward that it is affordable for the public.

John said...

Lousy libtards the sorry environmental Vulcans( Vulcans have green blood) what we need in our homes is a mixture of light bulbs in hallways, bathrooms, closets, outside, and on porches we need long life light bulbs, but in areas of the house where we need good light we need the good old fashioned soft white 100 watt light bulb. I am legally blind(it's not as bad as it sounds) and I need 100 watt soft white light bulbs. I am 47yrs old and have been using 100 watt bulbs since I was a teenager.
I use a computer (obviously!!! it is a 2009 model. It has a E5300 2.6Ghz Dual-core processor,
8ghz of ddr2 pc2 6400 memory, a
1ghz Nvidia video card, a 650/700ghz hard drive and a 1Tb harddrive, a rocketfish 7.1 pci sound card, a Hp printer and
"47" Monitor") I have a 55" lcd tv
with 5.1 surround and a DvD player. I have a Straight Talk cell Phone and I Email. But I don't "PAD OR POD". I don't TWEET I speak English. My music comes from my 2.1 stereo in my computer room (where it should be) which has six pairs of real stereo speakers and a 5 disc Cd changer the Digital and 5.1 surround sound stuff is in the living room connected to the tv where it should be. mp3s didn't Paul McCartney record on that label.
my other source of music is my 1962 Seeburg Ds 160 Jukebox which plays real 45rpm records and runs on real vacuum tube. computers are not for video games I like some video games but I am not a gamer. Smart cars are a joke and small cars are a joke. Regular V8s and Engines electric cars are for Disney and Nasa. I don't want to harm the environment buy I am White not Green. recycle why
we are nor in a major war so as long trash is Bio degradable whats the deal. Fix the economy,
repeal Obama Care and then fix health care, give our country good jobs and lots of them, send all Illegals back, fix our infrastructure. find us a renewable source of clean energy,
do away with the fed, get us back on the gold standard, amd finally,
leave light bulbs alone unless you have created the next greatest thing whereby reinventing
and prefecting the wheel.

It's all I have left; well what is it, I don't know but it's green.
MT. SCOTT Star Trek

Anonymous said...

Wendy’s Customer Survey
Wendy’s Customer Survey