Mar 14 - CAW joins National Industry-Environmental Coalition in Call for Energy Efficient Lighting
Californians Against Waste today joined with a coalition of energy efficiency advocates, environmental organizations, and Philips Electronics--the worlds largest producer of lighting products--in calling for the establishment of energy efficiency standards on lighting products and the phase out of inefficient lighting over the next decade.
CAW is the sponsor of AB 1109 by Assembly Member Jared Huffman, which would direct the California Energy Commission to reduce energy consumption for general purpose lighting by 50% over the next decade through the establishment of energy efficiency standards on lighting products.
"AB 1109 represents the most comprehensive and ambitious policy in the country for increasing the efficiency of lighting and in the process reducing greenhouse gas emissions, said CAW executive director Mark Murray. "Additionally, AB 1109 requires manufacturers to reduce toxic materials in lighting products and help establish recycling opportunities."
Noah Horowitz, a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, which supports the Huffman legislation, said his group favored a performance standard, like the ones already in place for appliances like refrigerators, that would effectively require manufacturers to give up the traditional bulb.
"We’ve given up a sound bite, 'ban the incandescent,' as opposed to a phaseout of the incandescent and a move to more efficient lighting."
In a statement, Assembly Member Huffman applauded the national call to action and said:
"The effort to increase lighting efficiency and reduce associated pollution should not be a California solo effort. I believe that this legislation can serve as a model policy for state's across the country."