Australia: Don’t Pack Your Light Bulbs

From 2010 onwards, you won’t be able to buy an incandescent light bulb in Australia. The Australian Government is claiming a world first in taking action to phase out inefficient light bulbs.

Lighting currently accounts for 12 percent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions from households, and 25 percent of emissions from the commercial sector.

The move should reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tonnes by 2012.

Furthermore, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull MP, believes household lighting costs can be reduced by up to 66 per cent.

“The most effective and immediate way we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions is by using energy more efficiently,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Electric lighting … generates emissions equal to 70 per cent of those from all the world’s passenger vehicles. But it is still very inefficient. We have been using incandescent light bulbs for 125 years and up to 90 per cent of the energy each light bulb uses is wasted, mainly as heat.”

“These more efficient lights, such as the compact fluorescent light bulb, use around 20 per cent of the electricity to produce the same amount of light.”

“A compact fluorescent light bulb can last between 4 and 10 times longer than the average incandescent light bulb, which can lead to major savings in household energy costs.”

“While they may be more expensive to buy up front, they can pay for themselves in lower power bills within a year.”

Australia is aiming for full enforcement of new lighting standards by 2009 to 2010. Special needs areas, such as medical lighting and oven lights, will be taken into consideration.