Watts Up With All These Regulations?
C'est Moi, Antoine...
Good morning breakfastpoppers. Today is Thursday, December 26, 2013. My friend, Antoine, is with me this morning. He is quite perplexed by the desire on the part of the government to get rid of all 40 and 60 watt incandescent bulbs. Let's see what is on Antoine's mind.
Bonjour mes amis. The government has decided that you must be stopped from purchasing 40 and 60 watt incandescent light bulbs. They have already gotten rid of 75 and 100 watt bulbs. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act required that bulbs must meet very strict energy efficient standards. The bulbs you have been using your entire life do not meet those standards. I humbly suggest that you run to the stores and grab every bulb you can lay your hands on. The new bulbs are here and they are going to cost you an arm and a leg!
Congress Has a Bright Idea!
Bush Did It!
Bush haters will be thrilled to know that the law prohibiting the bulbs was passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush. Since that time Republicans have been trying to repeal the ban. So far they have been unsuccessful.
The moving force behind this law had precious little to do with the environment. Corporations in the bulb business saw this as a boon to their profit margin. If cheaper bulbs could be banned companies would be able to compete with bulbs that are significantly more expensive. Any attempt to paint this ban as a green initiative is a total farce. The joke is on the consumers. Buying new light bulbs suddenly will become an important item in the family budget.
The newer bulbs are compact fluorescents that contain mercury. Gone are the days when you could pop your spent lightbulb in the trash. Now you are probably going to have to call a Hazmat team to dispose of a burned out bulb. If the bulbs are not disposed of properly mercury will be released into the environment. Somehow the inherent danger in these bulbs escaped Congress and the environmentalists.
The next time you pass a landfill try not to breathe. Despite the ban on tossing these bulbs in the trash, you just know that the landfills are loaded with them. The dumps are filled with mercury. Apparently, your government is not alarmed by this. You, however, should be.
Energy Efficient?
The Next Best Thing?
Okay, let's say you prefer to use an LED bulb. Although these bulbs aren't as dangerous as the CFLs, they are quite costly. You may have to apply for a bank loan when your bulb needs to be replaced. A package of 6-60 watt LEDs sells for $77.82!
This is yet another stunning example of what happens when government over governs. None of this was necessary. The bulbs we were using were safe and cost effective. Keeping them was the common sense thing to do. But, then again, what does common sense have to do with the decisions Washington makes?
Antoine Stands Against Tyranny
Let's go children of the homeland
The day of reckoning has arrived
Against you tyranny's ugly flag is raised!
Antoine....
