How Many Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?

To the Editor:

Re “Give Up Familiar Light Bulb? Not Without Fight, Some Say” (front page, March 12):

What a surprise: conservatives are using the familiar canard that Washington is making too many decisions that are better left to individuals to justify repeal of a law mandating the production of more efficient light bulbs.

If these conservatives had a better understanding of true conservative ideals, they would understand that they should be supporting this law, which will help preserve the rights of all to the preservation of natural resources, not to mention an inhabitable planet.

But neither sound science nor the collective good is ever a consideration for these radical conservatives, who use their hatred of government to justify the gutting of this and many other environmental laws that may inconvenience a few individuals, but benefit many.

 Richard Dorset
Stratford, Conn., March 14, 2011

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To the Editor:

Your article casts more heat than light on new lighting efficiency standards.

A recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that most Americans are already using more efficient light bulbs and overwhelmingly support these new standards, which will save Americans a staggering $10 billion a year in lower electricity bills. Americans today can choose among many types of efficient bulbs. These include more efficient incandescent bulbs that look just like regular incandescent bulbs and provide just the same brightness, while using almost 30 percent less energy. Many of these are manufactured right here in the United States.

Indeed, the new standards have already created thousands of new jobs in the United States by driving investment in new technology. Those who don’t like compact fluorescent light bulbs won’t have to use them; there are plenty of other efficient light bulb choices.

 Katherine Kennedy
Counsel, Air and Energy Program
Natural Resources Defense Council
New York, March 12, 2011