A Little Light On

Some Dim Assertions

To the Editor:

John Karlson’s irritation at our Congressman Chris Murphy over his decision to vote No against repealing “The Light Bulb Bill” caught me off-guard as so strange, I had to do some research on the subject. Interestingly enough, I was shocked at just how polarizing this issue had become.

The failure to overturn the bill, enacted under President Bush in 2007, means that beginning next year light bulb manufacturers will be forced to improve energy efficiency by 25 percent. The first culprit of this new regulation is the energy consuming 100 watt incandescent bulb. So I asked myself, why would someone be so against increasing energy efficiency? Well, it didn’t take long to figure out the reason why.

Conservative political groups including AmeriPAC have been pushing so much false information through the media system that Pulitzer Prize-winning website Politifact.com rated their statements on the issue as only “Half True” and “Barely True.” MediaMatters.org followed up with a study indicating that conservative media outlets have misled consumers at least 40 times over the past seven months about the upcoming changes.

The facts are simple: 1) Incandescent light bulbs are not being banned, 2) The new regulations do not require the use of mercury containing compact fluorescent bulbs, 3) Manufacturers have already developed incandescent bulbs that meet the new energy standards and, 4) The new regulations actually save consumers money.

Take for example the life of that old conventional 100 watt incandescent bulb that’s being phased out. Over its 1,500-hour life, it will cost you approximately $26 (bulb cost + electricity), whereas an energy-efficient 100 watt CFL bulb would only cost $7. In fact, by the time the CFL bulb finally needed to be replaced, it would have cost you a total of $45 — a savings of almost $130 compared to the six older-style bulbs you would have burned through by then.

If you don’t believe me, then perhaps this statement from the National Electric Manufacturers Association (which represents light bulb makers GE, Philips, and Sylvania) should set the record straight: “Unfortunately people do not yet understand this lighting transition, and mistakenly think they won’t be able to buy incandescent light bulbs. This misinformation has been promoted by a number of media outlets. Incandescent light bulbs are not being banned, and the new federal energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs do not mandate the use of CFLs.”

Does our country have real issues that need to be dealt with? Yes. Is this one of them? No!

Peter Sandler

4 Far Horizon Lane, Sandy Hook                                    July 18, 2011