Consumers hoarding old-fashioned bulbs ahead of federal phaseout

[bijou]

Robin O’Neill wants to leave the earth a healthy place for her three children. But what good is a thriving planet, the North Andover mother asks, if her kids are forced to live in a home lighted by bulbs that are energy efficient but ruin the look of the dining room chandelier, or take forever to get bright?



After years of looming as a distant threat, the federally mandated phaseout of some incandescent bulbs is about to become very real.

Many Americans have no idea that most traditional light bulbs are about to disappear, to be replaced by energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights, light-emitting diodes, and halogen incandescents.

For some of those in the know, the change means just one thing: It is time to start hoarding old-fashioned bulbs.

O’Neill keeps her stash under her basement stairs and figures she’s got a three-year supply. When that runs out? “Hopefully they’ll come up with a better technology that is more appealing.’’ The industry insists it already has, but traditionalists aren’t impressed.

There are signs that hoarders have been busy. Sales of standard incandescent bulbs are up by 10 to 20 percent over a year ago at The Home Depot, according to the chain’s chief bulb buyer. A 2010 survey by Osram Sylvania, the Danvers-based light bulb maker, found that 13 percent of consumers plan to stockpile. At Lucia Lighting & Design in Lynn, some customers are trying to figure out how many incandescents constitute a lifetime supply. ...link (http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/house/articles/2011/08/04/consumers_hoarding_light_bulbs_ahead_of_federal_ph ase_out/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1)

I have a small hoard myself for similar reasons.

[noonwitch]

I can understand why people would hoard light bulbs. I haven't tried the new kind yet, partly because they just don't look right to me. The retail price is not exactly encouraging me to try them, either.


I have some stuck in the 60s friends who to this day are still using a turntable and refuse to buy a CD player. When they started doing away with turntables, most of them went out and bought enough record needles to last a lifetime and more. It's the same principle, even in a money sense. CDs are more expensive than LPs were.

[Odysseus]

I can understand why people would hoard light bulbs. I haven't tried the new kind yet, partly because they just don't look right to me. The retail price is not exactly encouraging me to try them, either.


I have some stuck in the 60s friends who to this day are still using a turntable and refuse to buy a CD player. When they started doing away with turntables, most of them went out and bought enough record needles to last a lifetime and more. It's the same principle, even in a money sense. CDs are more expensive than LPs were.

Actually, adjusted for inflation, CDs are cheaper than vinyl.

I don't want the new bulbs because of the danger of toxic mercury exposure, not to mention increased cost of individual bulbs and failure to meet expectations (the new bulbs don't last anywhere near as long as advertised). See here for a scathing indictment of the new bulbs: http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/04/the_cfl_fraud.html

But, the real issue is that the federal government has no business dictating what kind of bulbs are available in the US, any more than they have the right to dictate what health insurance coverage I should have, or what color underwear I can have on.

[noonwitch]

But, the real issue is that the federal government has no business dictating what kind of bulbs are available in the US, any more than they have the right to dictate what health insurance coverage I should have, or what color underwear I can have on.


As long as you are in uniform and on active duty, isn't it the federal government's right to tell you what color underwear you can have on?

[NJCardFan]

I can understand why people would hoard light bulbs. I haven't tried the new kind yet, partly because they just don't look right to me. The retail price is not exactly encouraging me to try them, either.


I have some stuck in the 60s friends who to this day are still using a turntable and refuse to buy a CD player. When they started doing away with turntables, most of them went out and bought enough record needles to last a lifetime and more. It's the same principle, even in a money sense. CDs are more expensive than LPs were.

Just like every other "green" option. Hybrids and cars like the Volt are horribly overpriced as well as other "green" items.

[Odysseus]

As long as you are in uniform and on active duty, isn't it the federal government's right to tell you what color underwear you can have on?
Only the parts that show (like the sand-colored T-shirt that we wear with the ACUs). If it doesn't show, then it's at my own discretion. They don't issue underwear to officers, and as long as they make Green Lantern underoos in adult sizes, I'm stylin'. :D