Both retailers and consumers are increasingly choosing higher-efficiency LED lights over incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, and General Electric is responding, announcing plans to end CFL production in favor of providing more LED options.
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GE To Phase Out CFL Bulbs In Favor Of LED
By 2.1.16
Dimmer Switch On Enforcement Unlikely To Darken Lightbulb Efficiency Standards
By 1.15.14
Congress is all set to pass a $1.1 trillion budget this week. The massive spending bill, which has already cleared the House and is likely to pass in the Senate, affects every federal agency there is. Yet in the midst of a trillion-dollar omnibus law that reaches into every aspect of our government, there is controversy. And over what enormous issue might such controversy exist, you might ask? [More]
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: You're Using Them Wrong
By 3.9.12
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are great for energy savings, but their other stated benefit–lasting longer than incandescent bulbs–often doesn’t live up to the half-decade advertised on the package. Sometimes that’s the user’s own fault, for using bulbs in a way that diminishes their lifespans. [More]
Old School Incandescent Bulbs Get 9-Month Stay Of Execution
By 12.16.11
In spite of the fact that regulations to phase out high-wattage incandescent bulbs were signed into law in 2007, the ability to buy antiquated, inefficient lighting somehow became a lightning rod topic in recent months. And so legislators who want to defend your right to waste electricity (and still be able to use your old Easy Bake Oven) managed to find a way to stave off enforcing the rules until next fall. [More]
Philips Recalls 1.86 Million Potentially Plummeting Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamps
By 8.22.11
Philips and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a few weeks ago the recall of about 1.86 million compact fluorescent floodlamps sold under the EnergySaver and Marathon brands between 2007 and 2010. The reflector around the lamp can come unglued, shattering on the ground or floor. This actually happened to a Consumerist reader, who sent in photos of the glass-shard carnage. [More]
Shoppers Hoarding Incandescent Light Bulbs As New Regulations Loom
By 8.8.11
It’s been nearly four years since Congress voted to phase out low-efficiency incadescent light bulbs, but fans of the bright lights still have a few months before the regulations begin kicking in. And judging by sales numbers, it looks like consumers are snatching up incadescents before they fade away. [More]
Congressmen Vow To Fight For Your Right To Wasteful Light Bulbs
By 7.13.11
There are only a few months to go before a long-awaited ban on inefficient light bulbs kicks in. And even though Congressional opponents of the regulation failed yesterday in their bid to stop it, they have vowed to continue to fight for your right to buy cheap light bulbs that run up high electric bills. [More]
Do Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Really Last 10 Years?
By 1.20.11
Now that you’ve replaced every bulb in your home with those twisty compact fluorescents, you can relax for a while, right? They last 10 years, so by the time you have to change another bulb, you’ll be ready to replace them with LEDs. Not so fast, says California utility PG&E, which insists that CFLs don’t last nearly as long as claimed. But our brighter brethren at Consumer Reports state that some of them really do, and they’ve got test results to prove it. [More]
Ikea To Put Dimmer Switch On Incandescent Light Sales
By 6.15.10
If for some reason you have a truly heartfelt attachment to the incandescent lights sold at Ikea, you might want to get your hoard on ASAP. The Swedish furniture change has announced plans to begin phasing out sales of the energy-chewing bulbs starting Aug. 1. [More]
Light Bulb's Promises Are True Only Where Nighttime Lasts Three Hours
By 2.4.10
Rick bought a light bulb at Home Depot that turned into more of a geography test. The question it poses: is there anywhere in the world that has an average of three hours of darkness year-round? The answer: no. Which means that the claims on the front of this light bulb package contradict each other. [More]
Ohio Public Utilities Commission Delays Potentially Evil Expensive Light Bulb Program
By 10.7.09
The Ohio Public Utilities Commission has announced that they are asking FirstEnergy, the utlility company that was going to force its customers to pay $10.80 per light bulb as part of an energy-saving program, to delay the implementation of said program until they can figure out what the %#$& was going on.
FirstEnergy Forces Light Bulbs On Customers For $10.80 Each
By 10.7.09
Hey, who doesn’t like to get free stuff from the power company? So it’s awfully nice of Ohio utility FirstEnergy to deliver compact fluorescent bulbs to their customers’ homes. Except for the part where the bulbs aren’t free, and customers are being forced to pay nearly five times the retail price of the bulbs.
E.E.C.B. Forces Best Buy To Finally Replace Defective TV
By 8.10.09
It took an Executive Email Carpet Bomb to convince Best Buy to replace Bryan’s Panasonic LiFi LCD Projection TV after it ate through four lamps. Bryan had purchased Best Buy’s extended warranty, which contains a no lemon clause that promises a replacement after three failed repairs. Best Buy conveniently insisted that replacing the broken lamp did not count as a “qualified repair.” Bryan first escalated his complaint through normal channels; when he had no other choice, he launched the mighty EECB.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Some Assembly Required
By 6.8.09
Jim spotted this confusing sign at a Fry’s store in Campbell, Calif. On a display of compact fluorescent light bulbs, the store helpfully notes that some assembly is required. “Is it safe to assemble your own fluorescent light bulbs?” he wrote. “I mean with the dangerous mercury vapor and all?”
By 6.25.08
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Home Depot has started a nationwide compact flourescent light bulb recycling program. “At each The Home Depot store, customers can simply bring in any expired, unbroken CFL bulbs, and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk.” CFL bulbs contain mercury and can be damaging to the environment if thrown into regular landfills. [New York Times]
Free CFLs At Home Depot This Sunday
By 4.20.07
We’ve already mentioned this but people keep sending it in as a tip so apparently it bears repeating: Home Depot will be giving away 1 million (as in, not enough for all of you, Dear Consumerist Readers, for you are many and Home Depot is few) CFLs this Sunday in honor of Earth Day and as part of their new “green” labeling promotion.
