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Perspective: Shedding Some Light

Pete Linforth
/
Pixabay

The Department of Energy’s website promotes the use of LED lightbulbs, pointing out that they last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. A helpful video explains that LED bulbs use only about 25% of the energy of the older bulbs. 

 

But you’d better check this site out soon, as it may not survive the administration’s proposed rollback of a 2007 rule limiting the sale of the old bulbs. Enacted during the Bush Administration, the energy-saving rule was scheduled to take effect early next year. 

 

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, replacing all the incandescent bulbs with the new technology would save electricity equal to the output of 25 power plants, enough to power every house in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

 

Using an argument that’s become all too familiar, the administration says the change benefits consumers by keeping prices low. But that’s ridiculous. The price of LED bulbs has dropped dramatically in the past few years. The bulbs last much longer than incandescents. People see their electricity bills drop. 

 

There’s some light at the end of the tunnel here. We can resist this latest assault on climate science and ignore the administration’s attempt to turn the clock back. Buy LED bulbs and use them to replace those old inefficient incandescent bulbs. 

 

I’m Deborah Booth and that’s my Perspective. 

 

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