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August 3, 2011
Page II
Don’t Turn Out Lights on Bulb Innovation
House vote
undermines
leadership in
technology
by
K athleen R ogers
In a close vote, the
House recently passed a
provision that undercuts
one of the most success­
ful environmental pro­
grams of the decade - one that re­
quires all bulbs -- including the in­
candescent — to achieve higher ef­
ficiency levels.
The am endm ent, which was
tacked on to the Energy and Water
Development Appropriations Act
of 2012, delays a ban on sales of
incandescent bulbs for nine months
- fromJan. 1 until the end of the fiscal
year. Sept. 30,2012 - turning off the
lights on this successful program.
The legislation, if passed by the
Senate, will repeal one of those suc­
cess stories that seems near impos­
sible these days — legislation that
was drafted with the help of light-
bulb manufacturing giants, Philips,
General Electric and Sylvania, and
with the support of a coalition of
Thomas Edison created the light
efficiency and environmental orga­ bulb in 1879, one of the great U.S.
nizations, including my own — inventions that helped solidify
passed by a bipartisan majority of America’s reputation as a global
the House and Senate and was innovator and a place where inno­
signed into law in 2007 by Republi­ vation would be rewarded.
can President George W.
His incandescent bulb, though it
Bush.
revolutionized the world, spends
More unusual was the fact most of its life making heat, not light,
that California and Nevada, and it's remarkable for its ineffi­
then under leadership of Re­ ciency by today’s standards. After
publican governors, swal­ a slow start, and in the face of a
lowed hard and gave up their global phase-out, manufacturers
own state lighting-efficiency began the arduous, expensive and
legislation, which had faster time­ sometimes exciting process of rein­
tables.
venting lighting.
They did so because they were
Now, despite th eir d etracto rs,
persuaded by all of us that creating the new g e n e ra tio n s o f light
a single regulatory light-bulb stan­ bulbs, inclu d in g the new highly
dard for the whole country would efficien t in can d escen t, is rev o ­
support innovation; would help the lution izin g indoor, outdoor, and
United States maintain its market street lighting. And these new
share of production; save Ameri­ or im p ro v ed b u lb s w ill save
can households money; create new A m erican fam ilies $ 100 to $200
jobs; and would give industry what every year, for a total savings o f
it craves much more than the anti- $12 b illion for A m erican h o u se­
regulatory crowd would have you holds every year. It also will
believe.
save m ore than 2,000 A m erican
It seems fair to use the term “dim jo b s, inclu d in g those in high-
bulb” to describe those members of rate unem ploym ent areas such
Congress who voted to turn back as P en n sy lv an ia and O hio.
the clock. It's up to the Senate to
The survival of the legislation
rectify this wrong.
also means we won't be putting 1
million tons of climate pollution in
our atmosphere, which is the equiva­
lent of taking 17 million cars off the
road, saving our country money,
energy and lives.
Certainly, Thomas Edison would
have embraced this technology for
its energy and cost savings, as he
often said, "Waste is worse than
loss.”
This legislation is simply one of
many dozens of efforts that Con­
gress is seriously entertaining that
would roll back progress and stifle
innovation.
From dissolution o f the Envi­
ronm ental Protection Agency to
sta llin g a ir-q u a lity ru les that
would reduce m ercury in the air,
to blocking EPA from regulating
clim ate pollutants, to even more
subtle arid dam aging efforts —
congressional leadership is ca­
pitulating to Tea Partiers and oth­
ers who m yopically and tragically
see regulation as an impediment
to their version o f a happy and
prosperous life - a life that seems
to include wastefulness.
This legislation is simply one of
many dozens of efforts that Con­
gress is seriously entertaining that
would roll back progress and stifle
innovation. From dissolution of
EPA to stalling air-quality rules that
would reduce mercury in the air, to
blocking EPA from regulating cli­
mate pollutants, to even more subtle
and damaging efforts — congres­
sional leadership is capitulating to
Tea Partiers and others who myopi­
cally and tragically see regulation
as an impediment to their version of
a happy and prosperous life - a life
that seems to include wastefulness.
Then to get us there, they have
filtered out the long history of bipar­
tisanship on energy solutions and
environmental protection. Have
they forgotten that Republican Presi­
dent Ronald Reagan pushed and
pushed hard for energy efficiency
standards and energy innovations?
There is one piece of ancient
technology that American voters
should insist on keeping- a good
old-fashioned broom . And we
should use it to sweep out those
members of Congress whose dedi­
cation against all regulations and
support for unfettered individual
freedom is undermining America’s
global leadership in technology and
innovation, maybe permanently.
Kathleen Rogers is president of
Earth Day Network.
Countering the Deadly Violence against Police
It in our best
interests to keep
officers safe
lectively, we have to work together lice shooting.
to stop police shootings.
Schools, churches and commu­
Over the years, we’ve seen a nity centers must also pool their
significant num ber of African- resources to develop after school
A m ericans around the and summer programs that serve at-
country join their law en­ risk youth and unemployed men
by J udge G reg M athis
forcement office, diversi­ and women. The more activities a
A report released by the
fying the force and reduc­ person is involved in and the more
National Law Enforcement
ing some of the historical community support they have, the
Officers Memorial Fund, a
racial tensions between less opportunity they have to com ­
group that works to pro­
the department and the mit crime off the streets.
m ote law en forcem ent
community.
Finally, local governments have
safety, indicates violence against
Those law enforcement and com- to work to reduce gun availability.
police is at an all-time high, even m unity bonds m ust be further W hether through buyback pro­
though overall violent crimes have strengthened; police and residents grams, reward programs for anony­
significantly declined.
must work together to police neigh­ mous tips or some other method,
According to the report, fatal borhoods. Community policing can getting illegal guns off the streets
police shootings reached a 20-year help stop crime before it occurs and has to remain a priority. Doing so
high in the first half of 2011; 40 will lessen the chance that, say, a will reduce deaths among commu­
officers were killed by gunfire. More simple robbery escalate into a po­ nity members and officers.
than 25-percent o f those fatal
shootings occurred in January,
when 11 officers from around the
country were killed.
I
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January, 11 officers nationwide were I $200.00 for 2 years (please include check wiOi form ) 3137, Portland OR 97208. g
shot; three of them died. If the fatal
shootings continue at this rate,
N ame :
shootings will be, for the first time,
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responsible for the majority of of­
ficer deaths.
A ddress :
Looking at these numbers, it
would seem that it is open season
on law-enforcement officers. Col­ | o r entail subscriptions@ portlandobserver.com I
i S u’b s c r I b e" "
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In the past, there has been fric­
tion between residents and law en­
forcement, particularly in African-
American communities. Harassment
by police and racial profiling has led
many of us to distrust the officers
who are there to protect and serve.
This friction, combined with the
societal ills - poverty, drug addic­
tion and fatalistic attitudes, among
them - so many of our people face,
can lead to crime and, sometimes,
violent encounters with the police.
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Avalon Flowers
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However, when an officer is at­
tacked or, God forbid, shot, the of­
fender isn’t the only one who suf­
fers. The entire community goes on
lock down, with increased police
presence; the officers are now on
edge and the tension only rises. It’s
in all of our best interests to work to
ensure officers are kept safe.
Cori S tew art-
Owner, Operator
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