Late in his second term, George W. Bush sighed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which requires light bulb makers to improve the efficiency of incandescent bulbs by 25 percent. The details of the law dictated a phase-out of the manufacture of certain bulbs in their current incarnation, starting with 100-watt bulbs next January.
The law does not ban the use of manufacture of all incandescent bulbs, nor does it mandate the use of compact fluorescent ones. It simply requires that companies make some of their incandescent bulbs work a bit better, meeting a series of rolling deadlines between 2012 and 2014.
Furthermore, all sorts of exemptions are written into the law, which means that all sorts of bulbs are getting a free pass and can keep their energy-guzzling ways indefinitely, including "specialty bulbs" like the Edison bulb favored by Henault, as well as three-way bulbs, silver-bottomed bulbs, chandelier bulbs, refrigerator bulbs, plant lights and many, many others.
Nonetheless, as the deadline for the first phase of the legislation looms, light bulb confusion - even profound light bulb anxiety - is rolling the minds of many.
Joseph Higbee, a spokesman for the electrical manufacturers association, offered his take on the situation: "Unfortunately people do not yet understand this lighting transition, and mistakenly think they won't be able to buy incandescent light bulbs. This misinformation has been promoted by a number of media outlets. Incandescent light bulbs are not being banned, and the new federal energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs do not mandate the use of CFLs. My hope is that the media can help the American people understand the energy-efficient lighting options available, as opposed to furthering misconceptions."
One thing is true: It's a good moment to be in the light bulb business. Big-box stores like Home Depot are selling more bulbs because they have more to sell: Incandescents are up "in double digits over last year," said Brad Paulsen, the company's light bulb buyer.
But so are compact fluorescents, he said: "People are moving to different product types at a higher rate than I anticipated."
Even so, he noted: "I understand that four out of five people still don't know about the regulations. The ones that do, you're going to get reactions across the spectrum. Folks that think it's a good thing in order to save money and energy. Others who have an affection for incandescents are a little disappointed."
You wonder why there will be disappointment if light bulb makers are selling a new, improved incandescent.