Freedom Bulbs and the Political Debate on Climate Change

When Congress recently passed a measure barring the U.S. Department of Energy from enforcing a ban on incandescent lightbulbs one of its major opponents was the lighting industry.

In December, Maine Governor Paul Le Page, a member of the Tea Party, signed an executive order banning the use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standards in state-owned buildings. However many of the state's top companies and institutions have already constructed high-performance buildings utilizing LEED standards.

Anyone see a disconnect? Ed McMahon, writing in Urban Land does:

"The U.S. Congress has done virtually nothing to address the growing problems of climate change and energy consumption, but industry is not waiting for the politicians. Whether it is the lighting industry or the real estate industry, successful companies have realized that going green makes both business and environmental sense. In the future, it seems certain that the market will ultimately favor the greenest buildings in the greenest locations in the greenest cities."