On Friday, Congress took an extraordinary step forward on efforts to curb global warming. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the first-ever bill designed to advance a clean energy economy that creates green jobs, boosts national security and protects our planet. Click here to see the ad that SEIU and coalition groups launched in Capitol Hill publications just last week, urging Congress to pass and strengthen the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).
Areas of the bill that could still use some strengthening, according to our coalition partner the Blue Green Alliance: key provisions related to the Renewable Electricity Standard, investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, worker training and fair treatment of workers. BGA Executive Director David Foster praised the passing of the legislation:
"The Blue Green Alliance and its labor and environmental partners believe that comprehensive climate change legislation is essential to creating millions of jobs building the clean energy economy, particularly in manufacturing and construction, two industries hard hit by the economic downturn."
Bright Ideas
On Sunday, President Obama sat down with a group of reporters for an in-depth interview about the climate bill and energy, saying that he thinks the clean-energy market is poised for explosive growth. One small thing Americans can do to help conserve energy as our country moves towards enacting stricter energy-efficiency standards? Buy new lightbulbs.
Obama said the Department of Energy is at work on new standards for fluorescent and incandescent lighting. "Now I know light bulbs may not seem sexy, but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all the energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses," Obama said. Read the president's full remarks here. More details on the Waxman-Markey legislation at ThinkProgress's Wonk Room.
RSS FEEDS
Yes, ban consumers from buying what they want and applaud the savings!
Edison's simple safe light bulb is bought 19 times out of 20 in the USA.
The popularity is the reason to ban it: After all, that's why the savings are supposed to be so great, no reason to ban what people don't want.
Think about it!
The fact is that efficiency regulation on a product sacrifices performance, construction, appearance and price features, and does not necessarily give the savings suggested anyway.
See http://ceolas.net/#cc2x
onwards regarding such effects of efficiency regulation on buildings, lightbulbs, cars, dishwashers and other products,
About Saving Energy =
Does society need to save energy? No, no shortage of electric energy sources...
About what Obama also said,
"saving lots of emissions banning bulbs" =
Does your light bulb give out any gases?
Since power stations might not give out any gases either, bans are unfair on emission-free energy households being able to use what they want, now or in the future, and emissions can be dealt with directly - as is planned anyway - by using new cleaner coal or renewable (or nuclear) energy.
Also - Energy Secretary Steven Chu's lab was involved in developing the compact fluorescent light bulb, any clash of interest there?
About Jobs:
Government can create jobs by having some dig holes in the ground and fill them with money, and letting others dig up the money.
Meaningful energy and emission sector jobs are created by focusing on electricity and transport
changes (80% of emissions) including long-term fed/state guaranteed loans from financial institutions to such business allowing costs to be kept down, with new employment and less effect on people's bills.
See http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x "A New Electric America"
Why a light bulb ban is wrong:
For a list with references why a ban on ordinary light bulbs is wrong, see:
http://ceolas.net/#li1x onwards