As part of California’s groundbreaking initiatives to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases, a California lawmaker wants to ban incandescent lightbulbs. “Incandescent lightbulbs were first developed almost 125 years ago, and since that time they have undergone no major modifications,” California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine said. “Meanwhile, they remain incredibly inefficient, converting only about 5 percent of the energy they receive into light.” Levine is expected to introduce the “How Many Legislators Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb Act” this week, banning all incandescent lightbulbs by 2012 in favor of energy-saving fluorescent ones.

While it will not give opinion on the possible California law, the EPA recommends CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs).

“They save money and energy,” EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said. “They are more convenient than other alternatives and come in different sizes and shapes to fit almost any fixture.” Also, CFLs generate 70 percent less heat than incandescent lights, Jones said.

About a fifth of the average U.S. home’s electricity costs pays for lighting, which means even if CFLs initially cost more than conventional lightbulbs, consumers will save, Jones said. A 20-watt CFL gives as much light as a 75-watt conventional bulb, and lasts 13 times longer, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit group studying energy issues.

CFLs only use about 25 percent of the energy of incandescent bulbs. If passed, Levine’s bill would be another pioneering environmental effort in America’s most populous state. California has also become the first state to mandate cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, targeting a 25 percent reduction in emissions by 2020. In addition, a bill introduced by Levine last year, which requires most grocery stores to have plastic bag recycling, will become law in July.

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