Lightbulb Mandate May Spark Cancer Epidemic
February 20th, 2008 by Chris KinnanThe recently passed energy bill includes a mandate that will ban the traditional incandescent light bulb. New research, as reported by the Washington Post, strongly correlates lower melatonin levels with breast cancer. An Israeli researcher explains the connection:
Abraham Haim, a University of Haifa chronobiologist involved in the study, said the findings raise questions about the recent push to switch to energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs, which suppress melatonin production more than conventional incandescent bulbs. “This may be a disaster in another 20 years,” Haim said, “and you won’t be able to reverse what we did by mistake.” He called for more research before policies favoring fluorescent lights are implemented, and for more emphasis on using less light at night.
This research may be proven wrong, but its another reason why hasty, ill-thought out environmental mandates are bad public policy. Congress should repeal the light bulb mandate.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Incandescent light bulbs are woefully inefficient, and they need to go away.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
rofl! Scaremonger much, chris? “cancer epidemic”? Reminds me of the “CAFE Kills” post from a few months back.
I love how concerned you are about public health when it’s the scary environmentalists acting hastily, but NEVER when a corporation or company is dumping toxic waste into our environment (our office is working three cases right now about this).
March 5th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I am a recent stage 4 cancer survivor. It certainly wasn’t incandescent light bulbs that gave me cancer.
March 5th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Hi John, thanks for visiting FreedomTalks. The concern, according to these researchers, is with the way light– at night– appears to disrupt melatonin production and increases cancer risk. They found a connection to breast cancer and nighttime light. The specific point the researchers made is that by replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent, we may be unwittingly increasing cancer risks. The researchers used the word “disaster” so I don’t think I was scaremongering.
My broader point, of course, is that the Congressional light bulb ban seems more about imposing lifestyle choices than doing anything real about health and the environment and energy use. It’s like the 2005 ethanol mandate that is now causing widespread environmental degradation and is increasing global warming emissions.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
they’re talking breast cancer John Fink… duh
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:30 am
Incandescent light is wonderful, and they produce heat as well. Both very useful outputs.
Fluorescent light is horrible. They contain mercury, cause cancer, headaches, eye strain, etc… they just plain suck.
Maybe we should turn of the computer, TV, cell phone, and all those chargers to charge all our eCrap & iCrap….
How about the toaster, hair dryer, curling irons, coffee maker?
Let’s legislate it all!
Maybe only use your pc 1 hour a week, and forget about texting and blogging. The www could shut down on nights and weekends?
Banning the incandescent light….for the love of God, that is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a long time. LOL!!!