Typical EU Dim Thinking
Those of a certain era might associate stockpiling with the Cuban Missile Crisis, or the days when the unions would start a strike if the beer ran out in the workers canteen. This is not one of those occasions.
Instead, that insidious organisation determined to irritate us in every nook and cranny of our once-free lives has pulled another EU triumph…sitting in the dark.
From The Mail (and elsewhere): Traditional lightbulbs will disappear from our shops in just ten (eight) days.
All conventional pearl, incandescent lightbulbs are being banned by the European Union to slash energy bills and carbon dioxide emissions. Banning the jet engine would have a similar effect but then how would eco-nutjobs fly to their confrerences?
The move covers every type of frosted traditional bulb, from the 60 watt pearl bulbs used in table lamps to more specialised opaque 25 and 40 watt bulbs shaped like golf balls and candles. Clear and frosted 100 watt lightbulbs will also not be on sale from September 1
This story surfaced a long time ago and like most victims of EU stupidity it was trailed far enough in advance that we all grumbled, realised that it wasn’t happening for a while and so simmered down and forgot about it. That’s how the EU works. No, we aren’t going to ban acres as a measurement just yet – you can have a 5 year exemption. Everyone forgets for 4 years 11 months until we suddenly remember we’ve been shafted, done nothing about it and notice that the Government has quietly slipped across to those heccy metric thingies already.
And just like most things EU-related, the new bulbs are crap too.
Critics said the light of many CFLs is inferior, some describing them as sickly, harsh or green. They can also take a minute to reach full brightness.
Manufacturers have also created low-energy halogen bulbs which look like traditional bulbs.
So when you are trying to find your way around the house in semi-darkness to find some candles, just remember that Al Gore will be pleased with you.
TheEye will be safe…a bulk purchase of bulbs from the local supermarket and a couple of shelves in the larder have seen seen to that.
“Safe”? Well until possession of such Climate Change causing products is deemed illegal. What you are sure that no government could do that?
This might interest you: http://www.sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm
microdave
NotaShhep – Could well be. Just like V for Vendetta where all of the good guys have cellars packed with the decent stuff. Perhaps we ought to plan ahead for what we’ll need to save. I’ll keep all the beer fridges with CFC’s in them….full of beer obviously.
Microdave – I’m skimming this but you’ve broken one of the ASE key rules; this doc is actually Useful For Work and I’m going to have to read and digest it in the office…it is scarily appropriate for a project I’ve got on and you might well have just saved me a lot of effort. Cheers!