Improved light bulbs have led to huge decreases in residential energy use. Changes to federal standards, however, will likely stymie future progress.

Nadja Popovich writes about the evolution of light bulbs and their contribution to decreases in U.S. energy use. Incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs are being replaced with LED bulbs, which use up to 85 percent less energy than older bulbs and can last for 25 years.
In 2012, new efficiency standards for light bulbs kicked in, requiring that new bulbs use 28 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. "The switch to more efficient lighting has been relatively rapid, Dr. [Lucas] Davis said, because of the short lifespan of traditional light bulbs," notes Popovich.
But industry group are fighting additional regulations set to start next year that prohibit the sale of light bulbs that give off less than 45 lumens per watt. In addition, the Department of Energy announced last month that it was rolling back regulations that would have made decorative bulbs subject to the same standards.
FULL STORY: America’s Light Bulb Revolution

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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