Republican House members are preparing themselves to take a stand to save the incandescent light bulb.

Monday, the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 2417, the Better Use of Light Bulbs (BULB) Act, a bill to repeal the federal ban on the incandescent light bulb, contained in a 2007 energy law.

Sponsored by Texas Republican Rep. Joe Barton, the bill would protect Americans’ ability to use the kind of light bulbs they want and not be forced to use mercury containing light sources such as compact fluorescent lights. Read More

As Electrical Contractors we have mixed feelings about the ban and this legislation to reverse it. The light bulb is perhaps the single most important invention by Thomas Edison. He worked on the invention in his two labs right here in New Jersey and Menlo Park NJ was the first city in the Nation to be lit by the Edison Light bulb, To see it banned is extreamly sad, but there are much more energy effecient lighting choices now.

Most of the reasoning for wanting to reverse the ban is that CFL flourescent lamps, that are widely replacing the Incandescent lamp contain mercury. However, there is a better although more costly choice that saves even more energy without mercury, which is the up and coming LED lamps. We predict that LED Lamp is the future of lighting to replace the Edison Incandescent Light Bulb.

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Most Americans Unaware of Federal Phase-Out of Incandescent Light Bulbs

Using compact fluorescent bulbs to save energy is a no-brainer—and 82 percent of Americans are now on board, according to a GE Lighting study.

Americans’ voluntary switching from incandescent light bulbs to CFLs is a promising step toward smarter energy use.

These inefficient bulbs will get an extra kick out the door come January 1, 2012, when 100-watt incandescent light bulbs will no longer be sold.

Under the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, America will transition to more energy-efficient lighting, starting in 2012. Every year after that, incandescent light bulbs will see another cut: 75-watt bulbs will be phased out by 2013, and 40- and 60-watt bulbs by 2014.

While this is big step in energy conservation, most Americans are unaware of it; 75 percent of those surveyed have no idea that the government plans to phase out incandescent light bulbs.

Incandescent Lighting is not the only type of lighting being phased out, The standard T-12 flourescent lamp Ballast that has been the flourescent standard for decades has already been phased out and the T-12 flourescent lamps will soon follow.