About light bulbs

I've blogged several times before about a painless way for us to reduce our carbon footprint and that is to switch from incandescent to compact florescent light bulbs. Now here's an article about a movement to ban incandescent bulbs. I think it's a good idea. The article is called "California may ban conventional lightbulbs by 2012" and here's part of what it says:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California lawmaker wants to make his state the first to ban incandescent lightbulbs as part of California's groundbreaking initiatives to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

The "How Many Legislators Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb Act" would ban incandescent lightbulbs by 2012 in favor of energy-saving compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

"Incandescent lightbulbs were first developed almost 125 years ago, and since that time they have undergone no major modifications," California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine said on Tuesday.

"Meanwhile, they remain incredibly inefficient, converting only about 5 percent of the energy they receive into light."

Levine is expected to introduce the legislation this week, his office said.

If passed, it would be another pioneering environmental effort in California, the most populous U.S. state. It became the first state to mandate cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, targeting a 25 percent reduction in emissions by 2020.

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) use about 25 percent of the energy of conventional lightbulbs.

I have changed all the bulbs in my office to CFLs with only one exception (and that is a decorative, multi-colored 40 watt bulb). About half the bulbs now in my home are CFLs. As bulbs burn out, I replace them with compact florescents. I'm very happy with the light quality and I have seen a reduction in my electric bill.