Booker is hot on the case of the disappearing light bulbs in this week's column, the bulbs that supposedly become "illegal" on 1 September, when all we will be able to buy are the energy-saving compact fluorescents.

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What about selling light bulbs as "infrared radiators"? They are very efficient in that role - over 90 percent of power is radiated in the infrared.

Just so you know whose side I'm on...phk the EU...and all who sail in her.
That expressed, when, was it about a year ago, this subject was broached, probably not for the first time, I wrote that I was in favour of the new type of bulb.
If one wants to use incandescent, kerosene, propane, tallow or what you will should be a matter of personal choice...my secret preference is the traditional Scheiterhaufen fuelled with Brussels & Westminster bureaucrats...long-lasting & positively Umweltfreundlich.
I confess that I use a lot of electricity. Having slaved more than most, from dawn to dusk, I have earned my current (no pun intended) creature comforts, but am conscious of what they cost.
Where it was possible, I installed the new bulbs where I lived & live...Many of the original, glass-sheathed bulbs installed about twenty years ago are still functioning without problem. With very few exceptions, my other installations are halogen which need constant replacement. I have suffered no eye-stress & believe that this is a Luddite excuse for not moving with the times...but, whatever turns you on, baby.
The 'new' bulbs must be disposed of of course (after twenty years?) but tell me what doesn't in our brave new world...some day, I too must be disposed of and, unless crematoria are (more than likely) banned, I shall go up in joyous smoke.

Soylent Green, show you 'Care' about the Environment!

The problem, PEP, is not whether more expense up-front saves lots of cash flow, but whether it should be law.

Diesel cars undoubtedly have higher mpg than petrol, so we ban petrol?

Took that as read, Sandy...I was being a tad tangential...which may well be breaking some law or other

Is Soylent Green a village on the Isle of White?

Next one along from this, isn't it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camberwick_Green

Golf Club I think.

The hated new bulbs may well prove to be a longish flash in the pan...LED technology is making enormous advances & is already being experimentally used in Germany for street lighting...and it's very impressive.

Yep it's predicted the next generation LEDs will supplant flourescents and incandescents within a few years, cutting electricity usage equivalent to eight power stations - ultra efficient and cheap LEDs

Richard, have you notied that Booker has had a chastising letter in the Telegraph from the abominable Michael Mann, father of the Hockey Stick - see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/lett ... he-EU.html

Ref CFLs - it stries me that this is likely to be a good case of "follow the money". CFLs were expensive and unpopular, while ordinary bulbs were cheap and familiar. Whoever is manufacturing the CFLs (Philips?) was facing a significant potential loss on their development of a lousy technology. Suddenly, they have the market all to themselves.
I wish there was some sort of database of political donations. I wonder if Philips made some big donations to Blair & co shortly before the anti-incandescent jihad started.