With California leading the pack by starting the phase-out of 100 Watt incandescent light bulbs a year earlier than the rest of the U.S. they have started a mild uproar. Many people are misinformed about the reasoning for the laws and what options they now have with the new laws being put into place. The new laws are regulating the, but are introducing you to a new variety of energy efficient options.

First off, there are many great reasons why this law was put into place in 2007. 90% of electricity that incandescent light bulbs use is wasted as heat. With over 4.5 billion sockets in the U.S. and around 3 billion still using inefficient technology, we are wasting over $13 billion a year in electricity. The amount of electricity that we will be saving with the new standards is just about equal to the amount of electricity that all of the homes in the state of Texas uses in an entire year.

The new lighting standards are also environmentally friendly. The new standards will reduce the amount of CO2 emissions by 100 million tons per year. 100 million tons would be the equivalent of around 12.5 million elephants. This is a huge savings and helps in the fight against global warming and pollution.

The new lighting laws are not banning incandescent lighting; they are just weeding out inefficient options. These laws actually put the consumer in the driver’s seat for picking the right energy efficient light bulb for any application. There are many different CFL, LED and halogen options to choose from that all meet the new standards and will provide the same amount of light that people are used to in their homes. Without out these new standards lighting technology and innovation would probably be in the same place that it was 15 years ago.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has recently published a great paper called Shedding New Light on the U.S. Energy Efficiency Standards For Everyday Light Bulbs on some of the changes and how they are impacting the everyday consumer. It’s a great read for anyone that is concerned about how the new lighting laws are going to affect them and really puts the rumors about how the government is banning traditional light bulbs to rest.

The Energy Independence Security Act of 2007 (E.I.S.A.), is forcing innovation to an old standard for the good. The E.I.S.A. standards call for better performing and more efficient lighting. That means that starting in 2012 (2011 for California’s accelerated schedule) inefficient lighting options will be phased out in place of more energy efficient options. The goal is that all sockets will be filled with energy efficient options by 2014. Here’s an exact breakdown of how the E.I.S.A standards are shaking out:

The law is not banning incandescent lighting, it is just creating a standard for lighting that traditional incandescent lamps do not meet. The government is creating this standard for lighting, because it is in the public’s best interest. These standards are ensuring the quality and safety of the public, just like they have on many products on the market today.

These new lighting standards are phasing out the blubs that you have come accustom to, but they are offering a lot more options that fit the energy efficient standards. Here are some options to keep in mind when shopping for light bulbs to meet the new requirements; the Compact Fluorescent Light bulb, the LED, and Halogen bulbs. There is no need to panic, all of these new lighting options are optimized for specific applications and will provide you with energy efficient lighting that will look great in you specific space.

Stay tuned for more lighting regulation information and how to set the mood with an energy efficient lighting option!

A light bulb is a light bulb is a light bulb – right? Wrong! There are certain types of light bulbs (or lamps as they are known in the lighting industry) which meet specific needs. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL), for instance, are especially useful where dimming, rapid on/off (for signs), or long lamp life is required.

So what is a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Light Bulb? CCFL, like their cousins Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL), use small, integrated ballasts to regulate electric current into a glass tube. The current then reacts with mercury and phosphors to generate ultraviolet light. In traditional CFLs, the cathodes incorporate thin tungsten wires which can reach upwards to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold cathodes use more robust solid metal stubs which max out at 200 degrees Fahrenheit – hence the relatively “cold” cathode.

What are the advantages of Cold Cathode Fluorescent Light Bulbs? Cold Cathodes are ideal for use in theaters, amusement parks, marquees, flashing signs, chandeliers, decorative applications, sanctuaries, down lighting and track lights. They are available in all common shapes, including a-lamps, flame tips, torpedo, G20 globes, G25 globes, G30 globes, R20 floodlights, R30 floodlights, and flat pars.

Dimmable down to 5% of total light output, Cold Cathodes provide more flexibility than CFLs. And, Cold Cathodes last for approximately 25,000 hours of use. That is over 15,000 hours longer than most CFLs. The extended life reduces the maintenance cost and hassle of replacing the lamps.

What are the disadvantages of Cold Cathode Fluorescent Light Bulbs? Cold Cathodes are restricted in light output, reaching only up to 40 watts comparable incandescent. Initial lumens range from 100 to 300. Compare that to the range of a traditional CFL – Upwards past 150 watts comparable incandescent and over 2850 initial lumens. Cold Cathodes tend to cost more than CFL for comparable uses. And finally, Cold Cathode and CFLs do not work well if used with timers, motion detectors, or photo sensors are used. On such systems, small amounts of electricity continuously enter the bulbs, even when turned off, diminishing the life of a Cold Cathode or CFL.

TCP has mastered the design and production of Cold Cathode technology.Choose the energy-efficient, long-lasting shape which best meet your unique lighting needs.

The 76th Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) wrapped up last week in Miami with hundreds of mayors from across the country coming together to address the most pressing issues facing cities. TCP was the title sponsor of the four-day conference, which was billed as the first “green” annual meeting with special attention given to hybrid transportation, energy efficient lighting, green lodging and water conservation, to name a few.

TCP CEO Ellis Yan addressed the mayors on the importance of energy efficiency, specifically energy efficient lighting, in helping to reduce energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions in their cities. Climate protection has always been top of mind for mayors, with more than 850 signing the Climate Protection Agreement, urging cities to meet or beat the criteria outlined in the Kyoto Protocol.

Meeting highlights included keynote speeches by presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton, who both encouraged mayors to make climate protection a priority in their communities.

The annual meeting also welcomed a new USCM President. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz was inaugurated as the group’s 66th President, only the second Hispanic to lead the mayors. He pledged to continue pushing both the Republican and Democratic nominees to support the mayors bipartisan “10-Point Plan …Strong Cities …Strong Families for a Strong America,” which includes specific recommendations for the next President of the U.S.

For more information on the annual meeting and to view speeches from the conference, click here.