Saturday, February 24, 2007

Major Papers Plug Incandescent Ban

Gee, who'd a thunk that two major papers would come out endorsing the proposed state ban on incandescent light bulbs? Well, the Sacramento Bee did an editorial endorsing the incandescent ban, anyway.

The Los Angeles Times was more of a news story telling for the most part how great compact fluorescents are.

The Times did mention one thing I found interesting: Apparently General Electric is developing some new incandescent bulbs that use half the energy the current ones do and an even more efficient one might be available by 2012.

Interesting thing about both the Bee's editorial and the L.A. Times story is neither mentions the fact that compact fluorescent bulbs are considered hazardous waste and can't just be thrown away.

I think I'll write a letter to the L.A. Times to remind them of that. Think they'll publish it?

10 Comments:

At 2:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

No.

They are committed to their agenda.

Inconvenient Truth will be crushed along the way.

Watch your toes, Fred.

But give it a try anyway!

 
At 2:55 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

What I'd like to know is who was behind the scenes in getting this bill introduced to the legislature? Someone in the CFL business? I don't know.

Don't most companies that make CFLs also make incandescents?

Perhaps some environmental groups?

 
At 2:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You should try it and see if it will get printed. I don't think most people in LA are aware of hazardous waste and throw everything in their trash. I can't remember ever seeing any notice in any newspaper in LA when I lived there that said bring your car batteries to . . . or for that matter anything else in the chemical line that should not be thrown in with regular trash.

The problem I have with the fluorescent bulbs is most of them don't last very long. Also they can't be used in the canister types of fixtures which I have quite a few in my house. Most also can't be used on any dimmer switch and I have three of those types.

 
At 3:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did you know you can make a bomb out of incandescent light bulbs? This is a Homeland Security issue!

 
At 3:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fred, I think the CFL thing is an attempt to meet kyoto guidelines for CO2 emissions. California is taking the lead on meeting Kyoto. If you can cut 60% of lighting energy needs you've come a long way in getting back down to 1990 total emissions.

 
At 3:31 PM, Blogger Carol said...

Write them a letter, Fred.

 
At 9:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"Did you know you can make a bomb out of incandescent light bulbs? This is a Homeland Security issue!"

That's nothing! Did you know you can make a bomb out of a condom?

A population bomb!

 
At 6:51 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Carol wrote, "Write them a letter, Fred.".

I did. Sent it in yesterday. Let's see if they accept it.

I get stoked having letters published in the bigger papers. They have to be very selective because of the volume of letters they receive.

I read that the SF Chronicle receives around 800 letters on an average Monday. Be tough to sort through that many.

I've had one or two accepted by the L.A. Times before and two and a half, I believe, accepted by the SF Chronicle. Even had one accepted by the New York Post one time.

It's really something to know your letter was selected out of hundreds of others and is likely to be read by thousands.

Let's see if the Times takes this one. I made it short and sweet. Should know by Monday as they DO always call and verify the source as does the Chron.

 
At 12:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fred, even if a thousand letters of yours get published, Anne Coulter still isnt going to let you in her pants.

 
At 4:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Compact fluorescents are inferior to incandescents in the folowing ways:

- They don't render colors as acurately which can cause art work, fabrics, human complexions and other residential interior features to look less than great.

- They don't play well with existing wall box dimmers. Dimmers can shorten lamp life, cause color shifts and drop-outs when adjusted to low levels.

- They don't fit in all lamp holders since the ballast is in the neck of the bulb causing it to be fatter than incandescent bulbs.

- Unless matched with the correct ballast they work poorly (if at all) outdoors in cold weather.

Other that that they are great.

What's troubling about all this is how readily Green's can match the Religious Right with there love of authoritarian meddling in our lives. I'm OK with a tax on incandescents...but don't make them illegal

 

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