Watt is the big idea

by fiona in At home on 01.10.07

If the prospect of a bulb that will outlast its fittings didn’t convince you to switch on your energy-saving light bulb, then this definitely will. In fact, you won’t have a choice in the matter anymore - the environment secretary Hillary Benn announced plans last week to completely phase out the old-style bulbs by 2011.

The BBC reports that Benn’s plan would involve gradually phasing out incandescents, starting with the traditional 150-watt bulb by next January. Once fully implemented, the initiative is expected to save 5m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Greenpeace has developed a rather helpful league table of light bulb suppliers, which shows that a number of stores have already said they are in favour of a big switch:

- Currys has agreed to stop selling the bulbs by the end of this year
- Habitat by 2009
- Woolworths, the Co-op, Asda, Morrison’s, and Sainsbury’s by 2010
- B&Q, Homebase, Ikea, John Lewis, Tesco, Waitrose, and Wickes/Focus by 2011

However, environmental groups aren’t agreed that the government plan is such a bright idea, arguing that the UK is lagging behind other countries – Australia has already banned conventional bulbs beyond 2009. Greenpeace adds: “Benn’s announcement itself is pretty weak. Thanks to [our] campaign, most major retailers are already doing what the government is asking of them.”

Each energy-saving bulb you use saves around £9 on your annual electricity bill and lasts up to 12 times longer than a conventional bulb. Unfortunately, until recently they’ve cost a lot more to buy in the first place, which is thought to have put off many potential buyers.

However, supermarkets have now begun to sell them much more cheaply, and it looks like just the beginning. Community associations in Oxfordshire recently won a campaign to purchase low-energy bulbs from Powergen on the same terms that they are sold to Tesco, a trial that is due to be rolled out across the country.

Well, every little helps.