Ban the Bulb

This week Australia has announced its intention to phase out incandescent bulbs. Why has a country that won't sign up to the Kyoto protocol beaten the UK to this simple step?

- this will help Oz reduce its annual carbon dioxide emissions by 800,000 tonnes by 2012
- the same move in the UK could reduce our annual emissions by 2-3 million tonnes
- that's equivalent to 6 months worth of emissions from the Didcot power station
- Lighting consumes about a fifth of the world's electricity production
- Fluorescent bulbs are typically five times more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs

At an individual level, Dr Matt Prescott (founder of the Ban the Bulb campaign) has said, "Lighting accounts for about 15% of the average home's electricity bill. Each fluorescent bulb saves you about £9 a year, or up to £150 over its lifetime. If they stuck £150 in cash on the packet of a £5 fluorescent bulb then there would be hardly any quibbles from consumers."

If the UK can be persuaded to change all its televisions to a digital service, surely it can cope with this money (and carbon) saving option?

Petition the government here