Better Bulbs Coming

One of the biggest light bulb makers plans to slow production of
traditional light bulbs. Rebecca Williams reports GE says it’s
responding to consumer demand for light bulbs that are more energy
efficient:

Transcript

One of the biggest light bulb makers plans to slow production of
traditional light bulbs. Rebecca Williams reports GE says it’s
responding to consumer demand for light bulbs that are more energy
efficient:


The traditional incandescent light bulb is really inefficient. Just 5
percent of the electricity the bulb uses is converted to light. The
other 95 percent is lost as heat.


Several countries around the world have passed laws requiring the
phase-out of the most wasteful incandescent bulbs. The US Congress is
considering similar laws.


Kim Freeman is a spokesperson for GE Consumer and Industrial. She says
GE is planning to cut back production of the old-fashioned incandescent
bulbs:


“You know, we see incandescents continuing into the future but being
much more energy efficient.”


Freeman says GE plans to make incandescent bulbs four times more
efficient by 2012. That’s nearly as efficient as compact fluorescent
bulbs.


For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.

Related Links

Organics Hitting Mainstream Markets

A new report shows a shift in how organic foods are sold in the United States. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chris Lehman reports:

Transcript

A new report shows a shift in how organic foods are sold in the United States.
The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chris Lehman reports.


More people purchased organic food in conventional supermarkets than any
other venue in 2000. That’s according to a study by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.


It’s part of a trend of an increasing demand for organic food in the
United States. The study shows that sales of organic products increased
each year in the 1990’s. The USDA’s Kathy Greene says it represents an enormous
change in the 50-year history of organic food sales.


“Conventional grocery stores know there’s consumer interest and they
also don’t want to be left behind. It’s a very fast-growing sector and
for a lot of products we haven’t met demand yet.”


Greene says organic food is more likely to be sold in large urban areas
and college towns. The USDA study reports that almost two-thirds of
Americans buy organic food at least occasionally. But fewer than 5% buy
it on a regular basis.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Chris Lehman.