Apparently Rep. Fred Upton really has seen the light. The Hill reports that Upton hopes to bring to the floor next week a vote on the repeal of energy efficiency standards (a bill he once co-sponsored) that effectively bans incandescent light bulbs. “The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), would repeal sections of a 2007 energy law that require traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 […]
Energy
Are you a dim bulb for stocking incandescent bulbs?
The New York Times, guardians of “respectable” opinion, has taken note of people who stockpile incandescent lightbulbs. At best, so the tone of the article suggests, they’re quirky; at worst, they’re thought-deprived idiots who are doing the bidding of other idiots such as Glenn Beck. The Times article mentions several people (a designer, a restaurant owner, a home owner) who prefer Thomas Edison’s ubiquitous invention. An […]
Have you driven a truck lately? All the time
Henry Payne frequently comments that Americans prefer large vehicles, much to the consternation of their “betters” in government and the Big Green lobby. Here’s another chapter of that story. The other day I pulled into a commercial parking lot. I noticed that the five cars on the other side of the parking median (the one directly in front, plus two on either side), had grill […]
When will the bulb ban burn down a house?
Congress has ordered a gradual ban of the incandescent bulb, and its replacement has many defects–including the fact that it can catch on fire. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that some fluorescent bulbs are too dangerous to have in your home. Here’s what the CPSC had to say: “Telstar Recalls Energy-Saving Light Bulbs Due to Fire Hazard.” The Great Green bulbs are already a hazard […]
Right hand, left hand, CFL edition
Congress has ruled: We must do away with most incandescent light bulbs in the pursuit of “green” living. Here’s yet another exhibit of the fact that federal energy policy is out of touch with reality: A county government in North Carolina (and most likely county governments across the country) is hectoring residents to make treks to official depositories of “potentially dangerous chemicals” — and their fluorescent […]
CFLs contribute to “everyone must recycle” mantra
Consumer Reports, which actually provides some useful content when it isn’t busy asking for more government intervention in the economy, recently had this to say about the bulbs that our “green” overseers want to replace the faithful incandescent: “Tossing CFLS in the trash isn’t a bright idea; the bulbs contain small amounts of mercury.” Mercury, you say? I imagine that CR was among those calling […]
At least Rep. Upton is not Rep. Waxman
Walter Olson provides a quick roundup of nonsensical and costly regulations that won’t be coming out of this Congress, thanks to the fact that Michigan’s Fred Upton now wields the gavel of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “I look forward to learning more about the plans of Rep. Upton and his new majority colleagues,” says Olson. “For today, however, it’s enough just to know […]
The green dream: Go-karts for all
As Henry Payne has pointed out, “light trucks roared back to a majority of vehicle sales.” I’ve been part of that “roar,” and it feels good. If you want to understand the value of light trucks (I’m guessing this category includes SUVs and minivans, right?), spend a while driving with a small child in tow. I have two vehicles, and the contrast in ease of use […]
When Bad Policy is in Plain View
Sometimes the bad effects of a law are hard to see. But at other times, the problem with a law is quite visible and obvious to the naked eye. A few years ago Congress passed and President Bush signed the “Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007,” which, among other things, set in place a phased-in ban on the incandescent bulb in favor of the […]
The CFL game
Like Frank Beckman and Nolan Finley, I’ve been buying extra incandescent lightbulbs in anticipation of the day that I won’t be able to buy them at retail establishments. Isn’t it remarkable that it’s come to this? A simple, cheap, and tremendously useful product will disappear from retail shelves–not because there’s a shortage of an essential ingredient, or because someone has come up with a vastly superior […]