What the Watt?!

I was recently chatting with my neighbor about random neighborhood gossip when she brought up the subject about light bulbs. “Did you know as of January 1st there will be no incandescent light bulbs anymore?!” “Huh?! ..What do you mean …no light bulbs?” I asked. “They aren’t allowed to make them, the government said so!” replied my friend with a worried look.  “Oh…I do vaguely remember some talk about an energy bill going into effect this year.” I added. “Yes” continued my friend “so I went around to all the stores I could, buying up 40 and 60 watt bulbs. They are going to run out of them eventually!” she said.

With that bit of news I planned on my next outing to the grocery store to snap up some of the almost extinct incandescent bulbs. We do currently use some of those CFL’s (Compact Florescent Lights or as I refer to them Crappy effing Lights) that are on our porch and deck. They take a while to brighten up much like an old TV set and when they are at their full strength they are like a dollar store flashlight on its last ounce of battery power at best. If CFL’s were the only light source I had to read by I would be legally blind by now! Not to mention they contain mercury, which is problematic when one of those bulbs finally bites the dust. How the heck do you dispose of them safely? Call the local HAZMAT R US found in the yellow pages under mercury abatement?

I ended up at the Fairway yesterday and found to my delight they still had our old friends the incandescents! I grabbed a bunch, not wanting to clean them out and leave a few for the next guy. My plan is to purchase the beloved bulbs whenever I find myself in a store that still carries them.

I met up with my neighbor soon after and she reminded me of our prior conversation. “You know I bought some of those LED lights. They are super bright and they last up to 25,000 hours!” she said gleefully!  Hm, she seemed to have embraced the new technology right away! No longing thoughts of the old bulbs, their warm lights with their comforting glow, oh such a joy! Not to mention their very forgiving rays basking my crow’s feet and other assorted signs of age in the most complimentary way. “Oh okay, maybe I will look into them.” I told her.

Now I hate to encourage any of you to become an old bulb hoarder, but I am kind of hooked on them and plan to stock up next chance I get. I guess at some point when the last one kicks the bucket and I have no choice but to buy a CFL, LED or halogen, I will then march unwillingly into the energy conservative future. Though I’m sure it will be followed by a loud thud, which is probably Edison turning over to shut out the light!