A Bright Idea?

Since I originally wrote this blog more information on the ban as been released. It was yesterday’s top story.

On the evening news last night beside the government spokespersons, the people from Project Porchlight were interviewed. Smiling, thinking they have accomplished a great task, yet if you read the first 4 responses to “A bright idea spreads** I think their smiles are premature.

JAG makes them sound like a bunch of partiers and Yana, Lon and Ray makes it look like they really didn’t think things through.

To be fair there is Ban The Bulb. An interesting blog that has Campaign Goals that make sense. I like # 6. Propose appropriate exemptions Make the case for appropriate medical and specialist exemptions.

So where do I apply for my exemption?

My clever friend Eric, sent me the following link Banning light bulbs? A TV-inspired policy ... an interesting article. How much is this idea is inspired by reality and how much by the media. Has anyone figured out the emissions of making a fluorescent bulb versus an incandescent? What about the recycling aspect? Announce how YOU can save the environment by changing bulbs might make you fell better but is it real or a political ploy?

The article “Critics claim ban hardly bright idea” says of the ban that it will be “a minor dent in the nation's greenhouse gas emissions” and "In any event, it will account for less than one percent in Alberta and less than one per cent nationally." My favorite quote from the article is “incandescent bulbs use 5% to 10% of the energy they consume to generate light, with the rest being shed as heat.” Does that mean people will turn up their thermostats in the winter darkness because the light bulbs don’t offer any heat?

Well, my panic at this story has subsided somewhat with the notification that this will all take affect 2012. If I start now, maybe I figure out how to get that exemption and if not—I wonder how many light bulbs my attic will hold?

**I took a copy paste of the response page for two reasons. First because you would have to open another window and because a webmaster can remove views that might not be in line with the site.

4 Responses to “A bright idea spreads”

JAG Says: March 23rd, 2007 at 7:05 pm
… and to think it all started over beer and a BBQ! You’ve come a long way from 50 bulbs on a cold day in Kinmount. Here’s to changing the world - one bulb at a time. Congrats to the entire Porchlight Team!! JAG

Yana Maltais Says: April 25th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Great idea to save power.
BUT why is no one talking about the mercury in the flourescent bulbs
OR what happens in the landfills to this mercury
OR the problem of lack of toxic waste processors in Canada?
OR what happens in China etc. where the ‘recycling’ of flourescent bulbs happens???
Responsible organizations need to look at the whole picture.
Be the first to raise this issue, before the others I am contacting.
Yana

Lon Says: April 25th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Has the National Research Council or any other scientifically based organization done any research about the energy cost in terms of home heating from making the change away from incandescent? If so, where can I read up on this?
We are bombarded with messages that incandescents are wasteful, but they, like other electrical resistant devices, are actually 100% efficient at utilizing electricity to make heat and light (obviously mostly heat). I am of the opinion that in Canada, for the most part, this heat is actually utilized most of the year. We need to look at the energy requirements of the entire home, not just home lighting.
Cetainly efficient lighting plays a major role in the grand scheme, but my concern is that in Canada our main source of electricity is hydro (renewable), and therefore by losing a portion of electrical heating, the overall usage of primary fuels will have to increase, thus increasing overall CO2 emmisions.

Ray Says: April 26th, 2007 at 12:33 am
I am suprised with all the news commentary on compact fluorescent bulbs and no mention about LED bulbs which are much more eficient than the flourescent bulbs. Here are a few examples of web sites describing these bulbs.
http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx
http://www.thinkgeek.com/clearance/7aa8/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9399209/