Posted on 01/17/2008 5:16:01 AM PST by fweingart
Had Thomas Edison employed the same business strategy as his 21st-Century heirs at General Electric, he would have lobbied Congress to outlaw the candle in 1879 when he perfected and patented the light bulb.
He surely could have masked his self-interested lobbying in some public interest claim, such as fire prevention or the need for wax conservation. Today, the mask is environmentalism.
Earlier this month, Thomas Edison’s GE, together with Sylvania and Philips won a legislative victory when Congress passed an energy bill that would outlaw sale of the standard light bulb by 2012.
Sylvania is the leading light bulb maker worldwide, and GE is tops in America. These two companies, together with Dutch-based Royal Phillips Electronics, concede they basically wrote the new light bulb law. It goes without saying that they stand to profit from it — at consumer expense.
As reported previously in this column, the energy bill was loaded up with all sorts of favors for energy companies, manufacturers and other corporate bigwigs. The light bulb law follows the same pattern: A regulation touted as an environmental boon that will have dubious benefits to the planet, real costs to consumers and guaranteed profits for a handful of well-connected corporations.
The provision would make it illegal for American retailers in most cases to sell light bulbs that do not meet certain standards of efficiency — that is, a bulb in 2012 as bright as today’s 60 watt incandescent must get by with 42 watts of electricity.
Today, the clear successor to Thomas Edison’s incandescent bulb is the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). CFLs are more expensive, but they last longer and use less electricity. They have real downsides, however.
First, the light is not as attractive to many consumers — a problem with which the industry has struggled for years. Second, they take a little time after you flip the switch to reach full brightness.
Third, most CFLs can’t be used with dimmer switches or three-way fixtures. Fourth, the bulbs contain mercury, creating a potential health hazard in case of breakage and an environmental hazard for disposal.
This is where Philips Electronics enters the picture. Earlier this year, the company released its Halogena — an incandescent bulb (thus giving off more pleasing light and not having mercury) that meets the efficiency standards (by transforming some of the bulb’s heat into light using technology the firm calls “EcoBoost”).
These EcoBoosting Halogena bulbs are expensive (about $4.50 a pop compared to today’s incandescents, which can run as cheap as 31 cents each), but currently they’re the only incandescent bulb that meets Congress’ standards. If Philips didn’t readily concede they wrote the law, you could guess as much.
GE is only a couple of steps behind, announcing earlier this year that in 2010 it will release an incandescent bulb that’s even more efficient than Philips’ Halogena. On Dec. 18, the day the bill cleared its biggest hurdle and passed the Senate, GE’s stock jumped 8.8 percent, and Philips jumped 2.1 percent.
These companies will get rich thanks to energy bill, but it’s not clear the public or the environment will share the windfall GE and Philips will experience. GE makes its CFLs and other fancy light bulbs in China, while it makes its incandescents in the United States.
The light bulb law will ship more American jobs offshore, shift manufacturing to China’s dirtier and less efficient factories, and increase shipping distances. Add in the mercury, and it’s not clear how good this law is for the environment. Its clearest benefit is to the companies who lobbied for it.
Democrats came to Washington promising to end the influence of big business lobbyists. The energy bill — with its gifts to aluminum giants such as Alcoa, ethanol moguls such as Goldman Sachs and Archer Daniels Midland, and now GE, Sylvania and Phillips — shows that the doors of power are as wide open to corporate lobbyists as they have ever been, as long as the lobbyists are dressed in green.
“Second, they take a little time after you flip the switch to reach full brightness.”
My husband actually got 1 for a living-room lamp in our new house; we actually were missing just 1 bulb from all our lamps in the move.
It’s very disconcerting how the thing doesn’t just flip on. It takes about 3 seconds, then it comes on (period - it doesn’t “build up”). Makes 1 think something’s wrong, either bulb or wiring!
Our light bulbs
Our toilet stools
Our paint
Our cars
Our refrigerators
Our air conditioners
Our HWT
Our insect killers
Our gasoline
Just a few of the control points our government has put upon us in my lifetime and I know this is just the tip of the iceberg. Can you imagine how much time, money and grief this stupidity has cost each and every one of us?
If they don't sell the new CFLs, the competition will. They realize what they face.
“True, but it’s much better than it used to be...and it’s only for certain types of bulbs..floods and globes. The ones in regular lamps come on to full instantly.”
As I posted, not true.
I am slowly going over to led light bulbs. They last a lot longer than anything else I see out there.
I think I’ll be buying bulk of good-ol’ round bulbs over the next several years and hoarding them.
1. They do use less power
and more importantly,
2. Because they last so much longer, the tenants no longer have an incentive to replace burned out bulbs by stealing them from hallways and basements.
I have also done so in my home just because of the lifetime. Since replacing them several years ago, I have not had to get a ladder and change out which was a very frequent occurrence before (3 months for some).
The one recent one I purchased last year stunk for two days before it died and drove me crazy trying to figure out what the smell was.
Now I know.
Thanks for the correction. I was just being a good FReeper by posting stuff without checking my facts first.
““True, but it’s much better than it used to be...and it’s only for certain types of bulbs..floods and globes. The ones in regular lamps come on to full instantly.”
As I posted, not true.”
I have two regular lamps (60w equivalent CFs) that say otherwise. There is a 1/2 second delay from switch on to light, but there is virtually no delay in getting to full brightness. Sorry, but you’re off base here.
On the globes and indoor floods, it takes about 10-20 seconds to get to full brightness.
Wait until they pass the Cheryl Crow Law and limit the amount of toilet paper you can use.
Which brand/company are you purchasing from if you don’t mind?
I am getting them from C.C. Crane Company out of the “left” coast. You can get a catalog at www.ccradio.com [for free]
“I replaced all the bulbs in my rentals several years ago for two reasons:
1. They do use less power”
I have noticed hotels are using them too...in hallways, elevators, rooms etc. I’ve noticed about $5-10 drop per month in my electric bill since the switch.
Now the test will be whether their claimed lives are true...that will tell me whether the switch was warranted as a cost savings move.
As I said, it takes about 3 seconds for our living-room light to come on (I can’t tell there’s any build-up to brightness as implied in article). Just “0 to 1” in 3 seconds.
We just bought the 1993 house a month ago. And the other incandescents don’t waste any time starting.
Sorry, that’s my experience.
The Gov telling us we can’t spare a square.
I’ll bet there are other factors at work, depending on where you live, the type of lamp you have, etc.
Who knows. I’ve gotten used to the delays...not a big deal to me.
LOL!
Good to hear, if you ask me!
I just hope they keep being expensive up-front. When the wave hits, maybe people will be angry. Naaah.
As I mentioned, theoretically the wiring is all the same in the room as well as house (only 15 years old), and the lamp is a twin set. We’ve not had problems with it. I doubt it.
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