Even though interparty squabbling seems to be distracting Congress from making major mischief, at least there seems to be some movement on small steps. From the Wall Street Journal (subscriber link):
The House and Senate are working on legislation that over the next seven years would phase out the conventional light bulb, a move aimed at saving energy and reducing man-made emissions believed linked to climate change.[...]
While manufacturers voiced some concerns about producing enough bulbs to meet the new deadlines, they emphasized that they want prompt federal legislation that would prevent states from setting their own standards, creating a patchwork of differing requirements. Nevada has already set its own standard, and California is considering one.[...]
“It is not inconceivable that over the next 10 to 15 years that maybe all incandescent lights will be removed from the global market,” [Peter Wade, energy analyst for the IAEA] said. If that happened, he added, the resulting reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions might equal almost three-fourths of the reductions that industrial nations have promised under the Kyoto Protocol to curb global warming.
My wife recently forgave me for swapping out most of the non-decorative incandescent bulbs in our house with CF’s early this year. I see that some quasi-decorative, mini-socket “bullet” bulbs are starting to come to market at less-than-obscene prices. I wonder if she’d notice if I started swapping out some of those bulbs….