I think it's a little crazy you can't use those bulbs anymore. I guess it will save energy somewhat, but energy should be cut somewhere else. Every grocery store I walk into and my university is always freezing. Why can't they regulate how cold a building is kept?! lol I look ridiculous wearing a sweatshirt and jeans inside those places when I should be wearing shorts and a tshirt since it's over 90 degrees outside.

Thank you ButterfluyBleus! I feel the same way. I t makes me really angry that they are messing with my home aesthetics when there are other ways to reduce energy. I don't know how many retail stores on the streets and inside malls leave their lights on all night long. I should know because I've worked for many a company that has this as their policy. I don't care what kind of light bulb it is, if you leave them on for 10-12 hours over night, that is a waste of energy. So stupid.

I thought I read somewhere that they're not actually banning the old kind of bulb, just requiring them to be more efficient (and people interpreted that as mandating all bulbs be florescent.) Maybe I'm wrong though...

Oh for the love of God people, stop spreading this nonsense. Nobody is taking away your incandescent bulbs. All that is required is that incandescent bulbs manufactured in the US be more energy efficient. There are any number on the market already and the only cost a few cents more.

If you're determined to drive up your energy bill you can still buy inefficient bulbs manufactured overseas, but they won't give you superior light quality at all. Or you could buy a halogen, fluorescent, or LED bulb.

STOP SPREADING THE LIES.

This is so typical. "Energy can be saved somewhere else." Really? Please think that attitude through. And, if you really want your house to look and work the same as it did when built, then I'd think you wouldn't use any of the materials or technology that weren't in place at the time. You certainly wouldn't have a computer in it.

Out with the old and in with the new. I like the look of old light bulbs just as much as anyone. However, there is no reason not to use more energy efficient bulbs.

I love the new Plumen bulb, and I can't wait for even more design forward energy efficient bulbs to appear.

It's a light bulb...

It's sole function in life is to produce light. Who cares what it looks like? Our grandparents are probably shaking their heads in confusion at this trend of displaying naked light bulbs like they're art.

Bravo to EtherGnat.

Has anyone found an energy efficient bulb that doesnt take time to 'warm up'?

I like the new bulbs, but they take too long to get to full strength. I painted my bathroom a dark color and I just cant deal with it!

I live in australia, they already banned the sale of incandecent bulbs about 24months ago. I have a couple bulbs left in my house that haven't switched to the nasty florescents, and the quality of light is so much better. The florescents say "Warm white" on the box, but they still look pretty manky. I just hope they can improve the quality soon.

Incandescents are NOT banned! Here's the NRDC factsheet on it. Maybe Katy could post a clarification in the post, since there has been so much "OMG the nanny state" hysteria and misinformation about this issue. I for one, HATE CFLs will all the fire of Hades, and am so glad that we have plenty of other energy efficient options to turn to once the new standards come into effect.

Heh. I can't stand fluorescent bulb light! I try to be green in other ways. The thought of my firefighter husband being exposed to all of the chemicals released when these bulbs break in a fire (along with all of the other chemicals in a house) makes me cringe.

My complaint: what to do with all those clip-on shades? They don't work too well with the squiggly-shaped bulbs.

Oh...rampant consumer fear...it was so amusing at first but now it's gotten to be just annoying.

1) There is no ban. There never was a ban. You can still buy incandescent bulbs if you want to [and stores in your area carry them].

2) The Edison Style bulbs will still be available. They do not produce enough light to allow them to fall under efficiency standards.

3) If you are worried about legislation [heck, even if you're not!], please take the time to read it and understand it before you start freaking out about it.

I have some florescent and some incandescent bulbs. Once the florescent bulbs are warmed up, they look exactly the same. There were a few incandescent ones left when we moved in. I definitely prefer the florescent ones. We switched most of our bulbs at once from incandescent to florescent and our energy bill went down by half just in that month.

Halogens light right away, so for the "warm up" problem, there are some halogen/florescent hybrids that use a halogen portion while the florescent warms up. When the florescent is good to go, you get better energy savings.

Here in Japan there's a big push on switching to LED bulbs, especially since we're in the midst of an energy crisis. I've been trying to get used to the weird orange glow that these things give off and it's pretty tough. I must admit the manufacturers are trying to get as close as they can to the warm glow that incandescents create...and they're getting closer. But not close enough!

The light bulb you are showing in the picture will not be banned. Antique reproduction bulbs are not affected by the new efficiency standards.
http://blog.rejuvenation.com/stories/are-light-bulbs-being-banned/

While the Energy Act doesn’t explicitly ban incandescent bulbs, it does place restrictions on how much energy a bulb can consume to produce a certain amount of light.
The thing to remember is that this is not a blanket ban. You’ll still be able to find lots and lots of incandescent bulbs, including:

candelabra base bulbs
globe bulbs
flame-shaped bulbs
three-way bulbs
appliance bulbs
antique style reproduction bulbs

Is Hulger, the manufacturer of Plumen, an advertiser on Apartment Therapy? These bulbs get featured here pretty regularly.

As noted above, Australia stopped the old bulbs a while ago, but unlike claimed above, there are many choices of perfectly nice green bulbs that give different light - not florescents.

I do wonder about the selfishness of people - of course the shops should stop having lights & cooling on all the time, but so should peoples houses. If your decor relies on having nice light bulbs, and everything else will ruin it, perhaps you should have a style rethink. Consider it an opportunity.

If you really want to comment on this issue, how about doing some research and doing a review from a design perspective of all the new bulbs coming on the market (including new incandescents) that are designed to meet the new energy standards? You could also do a roundup of all of the designer bulbs that would remain on the market.

Worst look ever: squiggly large LED bulbs sticking out of shades, such as on a chandelier with little shades. Eww. I don't know about the bans or not, but if the incandescent bulbs go, I'll really miss them!

And our Christmas tree just didn't look the same this past year with the new lights.

There are people who still don't use CFLs? Why?* This resistance to CFLs is bizarre.

All you need to do is go to a store and you'll see that there's a huge variety of CFL bulbs that address all of the concerns being brought up here: soft light, yellow light (instead of the 'blue' light usually associated with fluorescents), ones that don't take any time to 'warm up', small ones that don't stick awkwardly out of standard fixtures...

Maybe Canada is way ahead on this, but I rarely see incandescent bulbs anywhere anymore, and nobody seems to miss them.

*the one reason I CAN understand is exposed bulbs, but I suspect those are pretty rare, overall

As for the New Energy Act, I will take the AT motto to heart, Keep Calm and Carry On.

Cheers, Olivia! I've heard of the energy restrictions put into place from some work colleagues, and I know it must be a tough time. The situation in Japan certainly puts things into perspective when we're talking about the value of energy efficiency!

My resistance to the CFL's stems from the crazy procedures you have to go through to deal with a broken bulb. Evacuate the area? Collect the pieces in a glass jar and dispose of at an approved facility? Air out the area for several hours to cut down on the chances of mercury exposure? Really?? I learned this first hand after my daughter pulled over a lamp and broke one. I would advise reading up on this, especially if you have any lights within the reach of curious, climbing toddlers.

I''m sorry, I don't like the CFL's.
I don't like the light they put out, and I don't like that they need to warm up (and a couple of other reasons but I won't go into it.)
I am willing to compromise though!
I have put the CFL's in every ceiling light, in the bathroom lights etc.etc. but let me have the incandescents for the two bedside lamps!

LED lights are closer to incandesant bulbs than CFLs. Next time I need light bulbs I'm going LED. 1)use a lot less energy than CFLs 2) better light than CFLs 3)longest life of any available 4)they don't have the same uber-toxic chemicals that CFLs have.

Skip the CFLs, go LED.

I have yet to find a flourescent light of any kind that does not hurt my eyes (I am very sensitive to light). It is something that I deal with as I must. As to the aesthetics of the new bulbs, I prefer my lightbulbs behind shades, so I don't care too much what they look like.

Yeah twisty art mercury filled bulbs! Can't wait to breath this in if it breaks!!

I LOVE my LED light bulbs and they are the same size as my old incandescents IF you buy a good high end brand.

It should be noted that the "lasts 8 times longer" argument is specious. It seems the geniuses who tested the lifespan of CFLs did it by leaving them switched on and timing how long it took them to fail. But in the home, we switch lights on and off as we enter and leave rooms... which stresses and dramatically reduces the life of a CFL. So in order to use an electricity-saving CFL properly, you should waste electricity and leave your lights on...

I'm learning that the people who are ordering us to live "green" lives really have no idea what they're doing.

"I'm learning that the people who are ordering us to live "green" lives really have no idea what they're doing."

You mean the Republican who wrote the bill? Or the Republican President who signed the law? Or the corporate lighting industry which supported it?

You don't want to use CFLs, don't. Keep using incandescents. If you listened to people who knew what they were talking about you'd know that no bulbs are being banned.

The most important thing about light bulbs is their lumen output, not whether they're LED, CFL, or old-fashioned incandescents. All new light bulbs are going to come with a little guide that looks like the nutritional information on a cereal box to help consumers determine lumen output. If you want the soft light that echoes incandescents, buy a lower lumen light that puts out 450 lumens, at about 3700 Kelvin, which is the soft white end of the spectrum.

CFLs aren't the devil, and they aren't that bad for you, either. I work in energy efficiency, and my lighting-focused coworkers basically say that if you break a CFL, you don't need to go into HAZMAT mode. Just clean it up, and go about your business. You take in more mercury sitting in rush hour traffic for 30 minutes than you do if a CFL breaks.

Give me an old fashioned Edison bulb...or LEDs...any day.

Have to weigh into the Australian debat and agree with Tron90210- its frustrating to be forced to buy a certain product. I want old light bulbs, yet no store carries them anymore (at least where I live). I have tried various brands, and price points, yet none of the new 'energy efficient' bulbs give off the same, warm light as the old ones. Yes, it may just be a light bulb, but the warm yellow tinged glow of the old light bulbs was comforting- it was memories, the new ones try to be the same but they are mostly too white, despite the box claiming otherwise.

You don't want to use CFLs, don't. Keep using incandescents. If you listened to people who knew what they were talking about you'd know that no bulbs are being banned.

I was making a general point about CFLs, EtherGnat, based on my experience living in a country that HAS BANNED INCANDESCENT LIGHTBULBS.

Oddly enough the incandescent ban was not introduced here in Australia by Republicans. Go figure.

When we faced our basement walls with log cabin siding, the ceiling had florescent bulbs. We just had those enourmous strip florescent light fixtures removed (seemed at least one was always flickering or humming) and replaced with cans.
Oh my. It looks like a real, warm space and not an office! The wood glows, Love it!

Reducing energy is all very well.

However, incandescents have a long way to go. Following needs to be addressed:
- Price
- Ecological disposal
- Quality of light is not at par with the different choices of incandescent bulbs, like natural light, neodymium bulbs, etc.. Very limited in the output of the bulbs.

Incandescents are not there yet.

Above post, I meant CFL not incandescent.

cfls seem to not only generate light, but self-esteem too.

I laugh that there are actually people on here that think supermarkets, you know those places where you buy refrigerated and even frozen foods, to turn up the thermostat.

I was making a general point about CFLs, EtherGnat, based on my experience living in a country that HAS BANNED INCANDESCENT LIGHTBULBS.

Considering you were commenting on a story about a US law and didn't state your nationality I think my assumption you were American was understandable.

Given said US law does not ban incandescent bulbs I still fail to see how your original comment was relevant.

Given the facts, what problem do you have with the US law?

I bought a costco size back of CFL's and I am desperately trying to use them up so I can go back to normal light. They also don't work in my outside lights. It get's too cold and they refuse to turn on. I thought they had burned out so I put new ones in, still nothing, as soon as I switched back I have a porch light no matter what the temperature is.

" I have grown so accustomed to my exposed light bulb fixtures that hang in my 1912 home. The Edison bulb reminds me of the history the house holds."

Do you also keep a cow in the back yard, a Model T in the garage, a coal-burning furnace in the basement and an icebox in the kitchen?

It's the 21st century - Time to move on.

The whole "ban" or act is just a scam by he cfl manufacturers. Over the life of the bulb you will never save the amount energy necessary to counterbalance the much greater amount of energy and raw materials to manufacturer the cfl over the incandescent. The cfl manufacturers have to recoup the cost of engineering and development that they just can't get from their ridiculous over-pricing. So they create artificial scarcity and convince the public that it is in their best interest.
Even from the consumer's point of view they won't make up the cost because the light bulbs don't last as long as advertised. And even if they did they cost so much more that they will never even out.
All that being said I am a big fan of CFLs for certain cases and a big fan of halogen for outdoor lighting and windowless bathrooms.

Over the life of the bulb you will never save the amount energy necessary to counterbalance the much greater amount of energy and raw materials to manufacturer the cfl over the incandescent.

Hogwash. You can buy a decent CFL bulb now for a couple of bucks. No way are they cheaper than the energy it costs to make them. CFLs cost slightly more to produce than incandescent bulbs, but last many times longer (I have bulbs that are going on 10 years old now) and use a fraction of the energy.

If your CFL bulbs aren't lasting years, either something is wrong with your electrical system or you're buying off-brand junk. Even my el-cheapo IKEA bulbs have been running over 5 years now, in everyday use.

Why must we involve government force in a consumer choice matter? It's really ridiculous when you think about it.

I support CFL's, LED's and all manner of energy saving bulbs. BUT, i have yet to see anything other than an incandescent bulb "dim" in any realistic kind of way. (And don't refer to dimmable CFL's, those things are just a bad joke - they're only "dim" when it takes 3 minutes for them to warm up.) Until that happens, I shall happily waste energy on the few fixtures that provide periodic atmosphere to my house, thankyouverymuch.

My favorite lamp is a 3-way lamp where you get the 50-100-150 bulbs. I've yet to find one in non-incandescent format, and I'm not giving up my lamp. So that's the only reservation I've got.

The whole "ban" or act is just a scam by he cfl manufacturers.

The whole "ban" is just a scam by right-wing talk show hosts and other sensationalist fear mongers. There is no ban on anything. All kinds of bulbs will still be available. The only difference is incandescent bulbs manufcatured in the US will have to be slighly more efficient, which leads to them costing a few cents more. If you're really opposed to saving money and energy you can always buy imported bulbs.

My favorite lamp is a 3-way lamp where you get the 50-100-150 bulbs. I've yet to find one in non-incandescent format

They make 3-way fluorescent bulbs at least, I've got one in a floor lamp at home.

Why must we involve government force in a consumer choice matter? It's really ridiculous when you think about it.

Because your choices affect the rest of us. More power plants means more air pollution. More energy use means more energy shortages (we sometimes have rolling blackouts where I live). Our insatiable thirst for cheap energy affects local, national, and international policies on countless levels. As International demand grows and more and more energy reserves are exhausted these problems are going to compound exponentially.

"Forcing" bulb manufacturers to be a little more efficient is an issue with little to no drawbacks. It saves energy, it saves consumers money, and you can still buy whatever kind of bulb you want.

@Nomadchicky, I agree, my Christmas tree looked awful this year, it was glowing an ugly cold white color that didn't play off of the ornaments.

i just moved to thailand & i have yet to see any place that isn't lit like an office. kinda drives me nuts b/c over skype, family thinks we look sick, but my energy bills are lower. rather use that energy to power my fans. :)

Goodness me.

Never mind, just wait until there's no power & then we'll all look so gorgeous by candle light.