U.S. begins light bulb transition
Aug. 2—The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel looked different in the United States starting Tuesday.
The Department of Energy's rules for light bulb use started which state a minimum standard for light bulbs at 45 lumens—or brightness—per watt, an increase over the typical range of 12 to 18 lumens per watt for incandescent bulbs. That means incandescent light bulbs, which have been sold and used for decades, are prohibited. Those who still have the bulbs over their kitchen table and living room lamp can still use them.
But when they burn out, they can't be replaced with the same.
"We were notified the first day of July about not being able to sell any of those," said Akin Creston Store Manager Tony Young. "So we marked down what we could and pulled the rest. We actually destroyed a few of them. It didn't affect us terribly."
Retailers are not allowed to sell incandescent bulbs that don't meet the new standard.
Young said Akin customers are already noticing the change.
"They used to come in for a 60 watt bulb and go. Now you have to look," he said. "Some people may have a lot of them," he said about incandescent bulbs. "We did the best we could to get rid of them. We knew this was coming."
Not using incandescent bulbs will make a difference according to the government.
"Once these light bulb rules are in place, DOE expects consumers to save nearly $3 billion per year on their utility bills," according to the Department of Energy. "In addition to delivering significant cost savings for households, schools, and businesses, these energy efficiency actions also advance President Biden's climate goals. Over the next 30 years, the rules are projected to cut carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons — an amount equivalent to the emissions generated by 28 million homes in one year. LED lightbulbs also last 25 to 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs."
"By raising energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs, we're putting $3 billion back in the pockets of American consumers every year and substantially reducing domestic carbon emissions," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "The lighting industry is already embracing more energy efficient products, and this measure will accelerate progress to deliver the best products to American consumers and build a better and brighter future."
Creston True Value Store Manager Zeke Chafa said his store was informed late last year of the change.
"Everybody wants something they can't get," he said. "And there is nothing any retailer can co about it."
Knowing the newer bulbs has a more environmentally friendly purpose, Chafa said he has heard of the older bulbs, still perfectly good, being left in the trash.
"They want everything to go green, but fill landfills with light bulbs," he said.
Chafa is confident over time customers will get used to the new selections.
Not using the incandescent bulbs "help consumers save on their energy bills," as more energy-efficient bulbs—like LEDs—use at least 75% less energy and last much longer than incandescent bulbs, according to Energy Department's research.
Former President George W. Bush, whose Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007 started the discussion for better bulbs, but did not ban incandescent bulbs, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Former President Barack Obama added two new additions to the act in 2017, which would have ended incandescent bulbs and other certain bulbs, like candle-shaped bulbs used in chandeliers, by January 2020, according to the EPA. The Department of Energy eventually stopped the regulations during the Trump presidency in 2019. Trump claimed Americans were "being forced to use" energy-efficient bulbs.
