This one’s a few days old, but, puts a bit of knowledge into the legislating people into CFLs unintended consequences
In the name of fighting pollution, China has sent the price of compact fluorescent light bulbs soaring in the United States.
By closing or nationalizing dozens of the producers of rare earth metals — which are used in energy-efficient bulbs and many other green-energy products — China is temporarily shutting down most of the industry and crimping the global supply of the vital resources.
China produces nearly 95 percent of the world’s rare earth materials, and it is taking the steps to improve pollution controls in a notoriously toxic mining and processing industry. But the moves also have potential international trade implications and have started yet another round of price increases for rare earths, which are vital for green-energy products including giant wind turbines, hybrid gasoline-electric cars and compact fluorescent bulbs.
As Junk Science points out, this has caused a 37% spike in the price of CFLs this year alone. And these price increases won’t stop, and will drive up the cost of CFLs more, not to mention driving the price of wind turbines and hybrids, already high to begin with, up even more.
Meanwhile, as the Usual Climate Alarmists tell us that China is super awesome in pushing for more “green” energy, China is, in fact, using even more coal, and barely using any alternatives. Furthermore
China’s ambition to build a harmonious clean-tech economy lost some of its sheen on Sunday after a violent confrontation over pollution from a solar panel factory.
Riot police broke up a four-day protest by several hundred villagers in Haining, Zhejiang province, who overturned cars and stormed the compound of a photovoltaic manufacturer that is accused of releasing toxins into a local river.
Who would have thought that creating such “clean green” technology could be so dirty?
Chuckle… chuckle….
I’m still stocking up on the good old cheap dependable.
OH, and I am still awaiting that celebratory day when we hear that the Republicans have overturned the “ban” on the good old bulb.