Is Thomas Edison turning over in his grave?
Perhaps, but the incandescent bulb has had a good run, with the technology little changed since 1879, when Edison produced light with a carbonized thread from his wife’s sewing box. The breakthrough that ushered civilization out of the candle era was so revolutionary that the light bulb itself became the culture’s iconic image to illustrate any thought, brainstorm, or idea. But energy-efficient bulbs are a better idea, says Andrew deLaski, director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. “It’s hugely important,” he says. “A 60 to 70 percent reduction in light bulb energy use will save as much energy annually as that used by all the homes in Texas last year.” That’s a big savings.
