Londim
20-02-2007, 23:14
Source (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1851776.htm)
Turnbull to pull plug on light bulbs
Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull is announcing today that conventional, incandescent light bulbs are to be phased out over the next three years and replaced with energy-saving globes.
He says this will save up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia over the next few years.
Mr Turnbull has told AM that new energy standards will be introduced.
"It'll be illegal to sell a product that doesn't meet the energy standard so that'll happen by 2009, 2010, and so by that stage you simply won't be able to buy incandescent light bulbs because they won't meet the energy standard," he said.
Mr Turnbull told Channel Nine this action could also make an enormous impact globally.
"If the rest of the world supports us, does what we've been doing here, follows our lead, this will reduce an amount of energy, in effect make the world more energy efficient to the tune of five times as much energy as Australia consumes, so this is a little thing but it's a massive change," he said.
'Baby step'
Environment Victoria's Tricia Phelan it is only a small step forward.
"It's going to save the average family around $30 a year for each globe, because they are around 80 per cent more efficient," she said.
"However the Government does need to do more on climate change, this is a baby step, a good baby step, but we need much bigger steps in the right direction."
The Queensland Greens have welcomed the plan.
Greens spokesman Drew Hutton says he cannot see the plan causing problems for people who still use the bulbs.
"As long as you've got a proper phase in period, and as long as you've got the alternatives there, then I don't think there'll be much difficulty at all," he said.
"This is one of the easiest things in fact, that is going to be able to be done.
"A lot of people are shifting over from incandescent light bulbs already.
"I don't think we've got any left in my house, for example."
Mr Hutton hopes this is just the first of a number of initiatives by the Government to tackle global warming.
"If that's all that's being done by Government, and if they continue with old methods like ensuring that most of our power comes from coal-fired power stations, then I'm afraid we're going anywhere near far enough along the road to being globally responsible with greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
The Government is not the first to flag a ban on incandescent bulbs; last month, lawmakers in California proposed a bill to phase out the traditional light bulbs in the state by 2012.
Well not literally...
So what do you guys think?
Turnbull to pull plug on light bulbs
Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull is announcing today that conventional, incandescent light bulbs are to be phased out over the next three years and replaced with energy-saving globes.
He says this will save up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Australia over the next few years.
Mr Turnbull has told AM that new energy standards will be introduced.
"It'll be illegal to sell a product that doesn't meet the energy standard so that'll happen by 2009, 2010, and so by that stage you simply won't be able to buy incandescent light bulbs because they won't meet the energy standard," he said.
Mr Turnbull told Channel Nine this action could also make an enormous impact globally.
"If the rest of the world supports us, does what we've been doing here, follows our lead, this will reduce an amount of energy, in effect make the world more energy efficient to the tune of five times as much energy as Australia consumes, so this is a little thing but it's a massive change," he said.
'Baby step'
Environment Victoria's Tricia Phelan it is only a small step forward.
"It's going to save the average family around $30 a year for each globe, because they are around 80 per cent more efficient," she said.
"However the Government does need to do more on climate change, this is a baby step, a good baby step, but we need much bigger steps in the right direction."
The Queensland Greens have welcomed the plan.
Greens spokesman Drew Hutton says he cannot see the plan causing problems for people who still use the bulbs.
"As long as you've got a proper phase in period, and as long as you've got the alternatives there, then I don't think there'll be much difficulty at all," he said.
"This is one of the easiest things in fact, that is going to be able to be done.
"A lot of people are shifting over from incandescent light bulbs already.
"I don't think we've got any left in my house, for example."
Mr Hutton hopes this is just the first of a number of initiatives by the Government to tackle global warming.
"If that's all that's being done by Government, and if they continue with old methods like ensuring that most of our power comes from coal-fired power stations, then I'm afraid we're going anywhere near far enough along the road to being globally responsible with greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
The Government is not the first to flag a ban on incandescent bulbs; last month, lawmakers in California proposed a bill to phase out the traditional light bulbs in the state by 2012.
Well not literally...
So what do you guys think?