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Energy Secretary Steven Chu defends light bulb standards as GOP seeks repeal

Blue_State said:
So people aren't smart enough to make decisions for themselves, so we now expect the sponsored politicians to make the decision for us? I believe we are better than sheep.
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show me where I said that.....this is YOUR interpretation, based on YOUR biases....
 
UtahBill said:
show me where I said that.....this is YOUR interpretation, based on YOUR biases....
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Did you see the question mark at the end? It was a question. Let me be more plainly with you.

You said:

UtahBill said:
the free market is often ignorant and that is why so much cheap crap is sold to them.....China survives by selling us cheap crap...our economy suffers becuase we buy cheap crap,....we waste our money on cheap crap and don't have any left to buy health insurance....I could go on....consumers are often so ignorant that it borders on stupid.
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You very clearly said consumers are often so ignorant that it borders on stupid. I want to know if you are implying that we aren’t smart enough to make decisions for ourselves? And if so, who do you believe should make the decision?
 
Blue_State said:
Did you see the question mark at the end? It was a question. Let me be more plainly with you.

You said:



You very clearly said consumers are often so ignorant that it borders on stupid. I want to know if you are implying that we aren’t smart enough to make decisions for ourselves? And if so, who do you believe should make the decision?
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we should ask around...but we should not be quick to listen to the media, politicians, or sales persons, all who have a financial stake in the game. simply put, we educate ourselves.
 
buck said:
That's not always true. I bought some CFL's, and a few of them burned out in less than 6 monhts after fairly minimal use. After researching a bit further, I found this is fairly common when used in areas with certain levels of vibration, such as ceilng fans. It cose me far more for those bulbs then I would have saved over the course of a few years.

Once the incandescents are gone, then what?
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That's because many of the affordable CFL's are cheaply made. The life of a lamp is an average life. You may have one bulb that lasts 500 hours and another that last 3000 hours and everything in between. And I am not really confident that the standards are being strictly enforced. The good qaulity CF's cost twice as much as you pay at the local Home Depot. LED's as far as qaulity and reasonable light output at an affordable price for home consumers is still not there. I love the new technologies. LED technology is improving at a very fast pace. Just make it available and affordable and people will switch. It is an evolution not an overnight thing.
 
jambalaya said:
That's because many of the affordable CFL's are cheaply made. The life of a lamp is an average life. You may have one bulb that lasts 500 hours and another that last 3000 hours and everything in between. And I am not really confident that the standards are being strictly enforced. The good qaulity CF's cost twice as much as you pay at the local Home Depot. LED's as far as qaulity and reasonable light output at an affordable price for home consumers is still not there. I love the new technologies. LED technology is improving at a very fast pace. Just make it available and affordable and people will switch. It is an evolution not an overnight thing.
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LEDs are already cost effective, but it takes a long time to recoup their cost. If you sell your house you might have to take your bulbs with you. :)
 
WASHINGTON (AP) — "Republicans in Congress are flipping the dimmer switch on a law that sets new energy-savings standards for light bulbs."

"But environmentalists and the light bulb industry say the move is not too bright."

"Sen. Jeff Bingaman, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said the move would have little practical consequence, since it does not affect a 2007 law that requires manufacturers to produce or import more efficient bulbs. The five largest light bulb manufacturers have already switched to making and selling the more efficient bulbs, Bingaman said, so the enforcement delay only serves to confuse the public.

“Blocking funds to enforce minimum standards works against our nation getting the full benefits of energy efficiency,” said Bingaman, D-N.M., a key sponsor of the 2007 law, which was signed by President George W. Bush.

A group representing light bulb manufacturers spoke out against the delay, which applies only to 100-watt bulbs. Tighter standards for 75-watt bulbs take effect in 2013, and lower wattage bulbs must be more efficient by 2014.

“American manufacturers have invested millions of dollars in energy-efficient light bulbs,” said Joseph Higbee, a spokesman for the National Electric Manufacturers Association, which represents 95 percent U.S. light bulb makers.

Delaying enforcement of the standards “undermines those investments and creates regulatory uncertainty and consumer confusion,” he said, adding that a lack of federal enforcement “allows bad actors to sell noncompliant products” to consumers who may be unable to tell the difference between an energy-efficient bulb and one that isn’t.

The new law blocks the Energy Department from enforcing efficiency standards, but it does not prevent states from enforcing their own standards"


House GOP Delays Light Bulb Ban Enforcement Until October | TheBlaze.com
 
UtahBill said:
I have seen the CFL's at great sale prices at Sam's Club and the local utility in AZ donated a ton of them to Goodwill, and they sell them dirt cheap....
they have the floods equivalent ot 65watts, the curlies at 3 wattage ratings, and the enclosed curlies that don't look like curlies for those who can't stand to look at the curlies...
My son put in some LED lights in the few places that are hard to get to, and I will likely do that at my Utah house where I need a really tall ladder to get to a couple of fixtures...but not til the curlies burn out....
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I prefer not to pull out the ladder and climb up to the, what are they, 14 foot ceilings, to exchange bulbs. So when one burns out I replace them all. I expected by 54 dollars worth to last more than five months. I hate government intervention.

I was evaluating LEDs. They are very nice and very expensive. Still, if the government was not taking my choices away from me in some cases I would buy then for their convenience.

I am willing to pay a premium for reliability.
 
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The GOP seems determined to make our economy continue to suffer the effects of an energy inefficient economy. The US doesn't rank in the top ten countries for an energy efficient economy, which increases costs for everyone.

"Using energy intensity as a measure, the U.S. is using slightly more than 9,000 BTUs per dollar of GDP. The top 10 countries use 7,500 BTUs or less. China uses 35,000 BTUs per dollar of GDP."
The Most Energy-Efficient Countries - Forbes.com

The price of stupidity.
 
Catawba said:
The GOP seems determined to make our economy continue to suffer the effects of an energy inefficient economy. The US doesn't rank in the top ten countries for an energy efficient economy, which increases costs for everyone.

"Using energy intensity as a measure, the U.S. is using slightly more than 9,000 BTUs per dollar of GDP. The top 10 countries use 7,500 BTUs or less. China uses 35,000 BTUs per dollar of GDP."
The Most Energy-Efficient Countries - Forbes.com

The price of stupidity.
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Yea! To hell with the Chinese worker! If it cost people dying who cares. We should be as energy efficient as the Chinese![/sarcasm]

(NaturalNews) Energy efficiency for the First World comes at a high cost for factory workers in China, with high rates of mercury poisoning being reported among employees in the plants that make compact fluorescent light bulbs. - Mercury in Fluorescent Light Bulbs Poisons Factory Workers
 
Blackdog said:
Yea! To hell with the Chinese worker! If it cost people dying who cares. We should be as energy efficient as the Chinese![/sarcasm]

(NaturalNews) Energy efficiency for the First World comes at a high cost for factory workers in China, with high rates of mercury poisoning being reported among employees in the plants that make compact fluorescent light bulbs. - Mercury in Fluorescent Light Bulbs Poisons Factory Workers
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FYI - there was never a requirement to use CFLs in the US.

But what does this have to do with the fact that you responded to, that the US economy lags behind the top ten countries in energy efficiency?
 
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With everything going on in the world the big line in the sand the GOP wants to draw is the "right" to use crappy, overpriced, lightbulbs that wear out faster? Seriously guys?
 
Catawba said:
A win for the troglodytes at the expense of the environment that we all depend on. Yeah................???
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Speaking of troglodytes, have you sold your automobile and begun riding a bicycle? *snicker*

I see Perry announced great news about stopping tyranny. Great news!
 
teamosil said:
With everything going on in the world the big line in the sand the GOP wants to draw is the "right" to use crappy, overpriced, lightbulbs that wear out faster? Seriously guys?
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The true argument here is not really about light bulbs.
 
LesGovt said:
The true argument here is not really about light bulbs.
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Well, IMO you guys should spend more time focusing on stuff that actually matters and less time on trying to make points about your beliefs.
 
LesGovt said:
Speaking of troglodytes, have you sold your automobile and begun riding a bicycle? *snicker*

I see Perry announced great news about stopping tyranny. Great news!
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I'll be happy to compare my carbon footprint with anyone. How can you have freedom with a ****ed up environment and high prices caused by an energy crisis?
 
teamosil said:
Well, IMO you guys should spend more time focusing on stuff that actually matters and less time on trying to make points about your beliefs.
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Freedom should never be a trivial matter.
 
Catawba said:
I'll be happy to compare my carbon footprint with anyone. How can you have freedom with a ****ed up environment and high prices caused by an energy crisis?
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You can compare your footprint with a person who actually rides a bike and lives in a tent? Truth is you waste energy. Stop it!!

As for an energy crisis, we don't have one. What we have is a bunch of people manufacturing a crisis. Stop it!!
 
teamosil said:
What could possibly trivialize freedom more than equating it to wanting to use out of date lightbulbs?
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Freedom is apparently not easily understood by all. Even small steps of eroding freedom should not go unchallenged.
 
LesGovt said:
Freedom is apparently not easily understood by all. Even small steps of eroding freedom should not go unchallenged.
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First they came for the cheap, Chinese-made, energy wasting 100 watt light bulbs;
And I didn't speak out, because I love crappy Chicom **** and wasting energy;

Then they came for me....
 
AdamT said:
First they came for the cheap, Chinese-made, energy wasting 100 watt light bulbs;
And I didn't speak out, because I love crappy Chicom **** and wasting energy;

Then they came for me....
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. . . but is was dark and nobody knew to speak up?
 
LesGovt said:
Freedom is apparently not easily understood by all. Even small steps of eroding freedom should not go unchallenged.
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So are you an anarchist? Or what is your standard exactly for when individual preference gives way to the overall well being of society?
 
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