June 29, 2009 2:14 PM

Obama Touts New Light Bulb Standards

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Domestic Issues
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Obama on Monday announced new federal efforts to promote energy efficiency in the United States, through stricter standards on fluorescent and incandescent light and other measures.

"I know light bulbs might not seem sexy," Mr. Obama said, "but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses."

He framed the efforts as part of his goal to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil through a variety of means, including through the cap and trade legislation that passed in the House on Friday.

"When we put aside the posturing and politics... a simple choice emerges," Mr. Obama said. "We can remain the world's leading importer of oil, or we can become the world's leading exporter of clean energy. That's our choice: Between a slow decline and renewed prosperity. Between the past and the future."

The president said the new look at light bulbs is starting at the White House.

"Secretary Chu is already taking a look at our light bulbs," he said.

Energy Secretary Steve Chu will also expand and accelerate the deployment of energy efficient technologies in new buildings, something that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act began, the president said.

He pointed to the state of California as an example of what stricter energy efficiency standards could achieve. In the late 1970's, California enacted tougher energy policies, which the president said, helped create millions of jobs. Today, he said, Californians consume 40 percent less energy per person than the national average.

"One of the fastsest, easiest and cheapest ways to make our economy stronger and cleaner is to make our economy more energy efficient," he said.

The American people, Mr. Obama said, "expect us to move forward right now" to create a clean energy economy.

To that end, the president praised the House for passing the climate change measure, which he said "will finally open the door to decreasing our dependence on foreign oil," and he added, "create new business, new industries and millions of new jobs... all without placing untenable burdens on the American people or business."

Mr. Obama said he is confident the Senate will also "choose to move this country forward."

Add a Comment See all 35 Comments
by Strugglinglady January 31, 2011 8:30 AM EST
They not only cost a fortune but, last less than couple months. Mercury poisoning at dump sites are not green.
Cannot see under them. Staying with old bulbs. Every time i buy one, they either do not work upon purchase or few months later go out. They could have made the tungstan wire thicker, I have some really old bulbs that have lasted more than couple decades. I sold some fancy ones where they had the wire in shapes. Over 60 years old and they still worked. Made a lot of money on those, selling them off. These new ones are just more "green" junk that does not work. All they had to do was increase the wire to a thicker and more lasting effort.
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by epetey September 23, 2010 7:28 PM EDT
it's great to try to use clean energy and all that; therefore, it should be ENCOURAGED, not FORCED. Obama says, "That's our choice". Really? It's our choice? Because I'm pretty sure all the people working for businesses concerning regular light bulbs (that have been a great invention all the way back to Thomas Edison) who are going to lose their jobs, would not CHOOSE to ban the production of their product. Obama is taking about our rights and freedoms away as Americans. This is completely wrong and against what our founding fathers had faught so hard for. I'm disgusted.
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by darcylars August 12, 2009 4:49 AM EDT
Obama has announced changing of Fluorescent light bulbs to energy saving bulbs in united states.This action is been taken all over the world.Obama puts his efforts as part of his goal to reduce nation dependence on other foreign countries and, Obama has specified that the new look at light bulbs will start from white house.

Regards,
darcylars
http://www.lyco.co.uk/
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by erasmus111 June 30, 2009 4:30 PM EDT
"to" should be "too".
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by erasmus111 June 30, 2009 4:29 PM EDT
by June 30, 2009 1:00 PM PDT
Freedom of choice will be the correct way to let the country handle change.


Left to freedom of choice, there will be no change. People are just to lazy.
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by mike1my June 30, 2009 4:00 PM EDT
Use dimmers to save electricity. By the time flourecents are made to produce the same luminance an incandecent bulb does it will be years. A dimmer gives you the option right away to light the pathways in your house dimmmed and put light at it's brightest where you want it. No regulation or house energy eficiency inspections are needed to sell a home. If you want brightness you have it by adding a dimmer. At the same time you can dim it if you want to 'Save The Planet'. Take your dimmers with you to your next house if you want.

I am all for efficiency and hate to waste. To regulate that I have use a flourecent instead of a dimmer is rediculous. Our government (USA) needs back off and let people come to there own conclusions. First they want to see slow change so that people don't loose there jobs to fast due to rapid technology changes. Then they want to push it with flourecent mercury light bulbs. Freedom of choice will be the correct way to let the country handle change.
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by mike1my June 30, 2009 3:26 PM EDT
There is a very real danger of filling our landfills with flourecent light bulbs that contain mercury (which all do). If our whole country is forced to use them we will also have dispose of them properly which will be something else the government will regulate after they have stupidly passed the bills that creates a mess. And who will enforce it. Government paid employees. The 'Flourecent Light Bulb Police'. Why they don't mention the mercury danger is beyond me.
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by erasmus111 June 30, 2009 3:51 PM EDT
Before these bulbs were even made, they should have had something set up for disposing of them. Here, in British Columbia, we are supposed to double bag them in ziplock bags and take them to HomeDepot. They have a container there for disposing them. I think there are other places to, but I just wonder how many people are even doing it? In fact, I wonder how many people even know what they are supposed to do. A lot of people don't even read what's on the package. And all that is stated on the package is that it contains mercury, and it's in very small print.

For instance, I wonder how many people know that if one of these bulbs should break, that you are supposed to leave the house for 10 minutes because of the mercury fumes? Or if when they clean it up, you are supposed to wear gloves and you are supposed to use cardboard or whatever to sweep it up. What ever you use also needs to be disposed of properly too.
by erasmus111 June 30, 2009 1:21 PM EDT
by zonkzilla June 30, 2009 4:24 AM PDT
Those spiral lights stink. I use them, but their light is poor, the color is bad, and they are dim.



I don't find that they are dim, but they are BAD. No one should be using the "spiral" CFL bulbs. They give off VERY dirty electricity. People have been getting sick from them. If you have them, do NOT sit near them. The ones you should be getting are the "closed" CFL bulbs. They look like the incandescent bulbs only shaped slightly different.
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by mattcat25 June 30, 2009 11:02 AM EDT
fire good, uggg...
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by dg441-2009 June 30, 2009 9:07 AM EDT
Is he going to hire a "light bulb czar" to make sure everyone is using them?
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