Let There Be Light

The incandescent light bulb has been around since Edison invented it in 1879 illuminating the world ever since. Now there is a push for energy efficiency but changing the old "let there be light" habit is proving harder than changing a light bulb. The old question of how long does it take to change a light bulb is about to receive a new answer. After nearly a century and a half the United States government will make it mandatory in 2014 that all illumination come from compact fluorescent bulbs. The incandescent bulb is on it's way to the history books and with it the need to change light bulbs on a regular basis.
Why should I spend $2.50 for a compact fluorescent bulb when I can buy a incandescent bulb of the same wattage for 25 cents? I know that in the long run the $2.50 bulb will pay for it's self, even saving me money but when I am standing in the isle at WalMart I am thinking of the money in my present pocket not the money in my future pocket. It's the old dilemma " Pay now or Pay later" that is always at the heart of our buying decisions. Whether you admit it or not, there lies a cheapskate in all of us so until 2014 most people will continue to buy the 25 cent bulb.
A couple of months ago I intimidated that cheapskate inside me when I was given my very first compact fluorescent bulb.
Removing a perfectly good 25 cent incandescent bulb and replacing it with the compact fluorescent bulb did not give me the desired effects I had hoped for. Oh it sounds good when they tell you the bulb will last nine years and save you $47 but it just didn't give off as much light as I was used to. Although disappointed I had to laugh when I read on the package that for any reason the bulb refused to illuminate all I needed to do is send in the receipt for a full refund. Give me a break, who in their right mind is ever going to keep a $2.50 receipt for nine years. In nine years a US postal stamp will probably cost $2.50 so I would be lucky if I even broke even. Besides, the bulb does not give me enough light to even read the receipt so how an I to even know if I am entitled to a refund? The corkscrew appearance of the bulb was even worse than it's attempt at illumination but I was determined to get the best of my inter cheapskate so I purchased a compact fluorescent bulb that more resembled a conventional incandescent bulb and that seemed to produce a somewhat happy median to the bulb dilemma.
I still can't read very well by it's light but I guess that really doesn't matter because with all the money I be saving while using the compact fluorescent bulb I'll be able to buy a stronger pair of reading glasses.
One bulb will not defeat Global Warming but it is a start so I want to let the world know I am doing my part one bulb at a time.