[Dialogue] Australia Mandates Use of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs by 2012

[Harry Wainwright]

Published on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 by the Associated
<http://www.ap.org>  Press 

Australia Mandates Use of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs by 2012 

by Rohan Sullivan

 

The Australian government on Tuesday announced plans to phase out
incandescent light bulbs and replace them with more energy-efficient compact
fluorescent bulbs across the country. 

Legislation to gradually restrict the sale of the old-style bulbs could
reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tons by 2012 and
cut household power bills by up to 66 percent, said Environment Minister
Malcolm Turnbull. 

Australia produced almost 565 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2004,
official figures show. 

Prime Minister John Howard said the plan would help all Australians play a
part in cutting harmful gas emissions: "Here's something practical that
everybody will participate in." 

In incandescent light bulbs, perfected for mass use by Thomas A. Edison in
the late 19th century, electricity flows through a filament to create light.
Much of the energy, however, is wasted in the form of heat. 

Australia is not the only place looking to replace them with fluorescent
lighting, which is more efficient and longer lasting. 

Last month, a California assemblyman announced he would propose a bill to
ban the use of incandescent bulbs in his state. And a New Jersey lawmaker
has called for the state to switch to fluorescent lighting in government
buildings within three years. 

Cuba's Fidel Castro launched a similar program two years ago, sending youth
brigades into homes and switching out regular bulbs for energy-saving ones
to help battle electrical blackouts around the island. 

The idea was later embraced by Castro's friend and ally, Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez, who announced his own program to save energy and in
recent months has given away millions of incandescent bulbs in neighborhoods
nationwide. 

Under the Australian plan, bulbs that do not comply with energy efficiency
targets would be gradually banned from sale. Exemptions may apply for
special needs such as medical lighting and oven lights. 

Fluorescent bulbs are currently more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but
use only about 20 percent of the power to produce the same amount of light
and last longer, making them more competitive over time, advocates argue. 

Environmentalists welcomed the light bulb plan, but noted than the vast bulk
of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions come from industry, such as
coal-fired power stations. 

They urged the government to set national targets for emission reductions
and renewable energy. 

"It is a good, positive step. But it is a very small step. It needs to be
followed through with a lot of different measures," Australian Conservation
Foundation spokesman Josh Meadows told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. 

Howard has become a global warming convert, conceding in recent months for
the first time that human activity is having an effect on rising
temperatures. 

But he has steadfastly refused to bring Australia into line with most of the
world and ratify the Kyoto protocol on greenhouse gas reductions, arguing
that doing so could damage Australia's coal-dependent economy. 

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

 

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