Pushed too far!

[megabyteme]

I was in WalMart the other day. Among other things, I needed light bulbs. We have heard all of the environmentalist cries about saving salmon and polar bears, etc. And our household has complied with all kinds of "energy efficient" gadgets and practices. Our house is kept between 62 and 66 degrees F during the winter, and in the summer we hold the temp around the low 70's. We have already replaced our "death to the environment" 75w and 100w bulbs. We even installed new windows and ceiling fans. We have been "good environmental citizens".

Like I said...I was shopping for light bulbs. I knew what I needed- 60w. These were compromises from the previous 75+w bulbs of the past.

To my great irritation, I was not able to find a single 60w bulb in the entire store (two aisles devoted to bulbs of all shapes and sizes). I was able to find 52w bulbs! This is done to "reduce energy used by 60w bulbs".

I was momentarily irritated, then grabbed the "formerly 75w bulbs" now reduced to 67w. For some f-ed up reason, it actually felt like a moral victory over these relentless enviro-nazis.

I doubt I could actually discern the difference between the 52w and the 60w, but I felt I had been pushed too far. I no longer had a choice- it was no longer, "please use less, to save the environment." it had become, "USE LESS, you POLAR BEAR KILLER!!!"

The line will have to be drawn somewhere. I actually got a smug sense of satisfaction from my "act of rebellion". Anyone else feel that they have been forced into to much of this- and have lost the right to choose whether or not you wish to comply?

[Burnsy]

Why not just try a different store to see if they had what you wanted instead?

[megabyteme]

Why not just try a different store to see if they had what you wanted instead?

I wasn't protesting WalMart. However, it does seem like they want to push those light bulbs on their customers. And maybe it is just so they can claim that they are more "environmentally friendly" than other competing stores.

For me, it was really the straw that broke the camel's back. Too much of hearing the same story. Too many products claiming to be more "environmentally friendly". Just too much.

I am curious how many people have reached the same point as me. Thought this might be a good mix of people from countries that have in-house electricity.

Environmentalism is all the rage. Much of it is a good idea. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere (maybe not yet), but continuously following an ideology will eventually get us to lunacy.

[Burnsy]

I suppose at the end of the day, each major retailer is going to want to be seen as being the most 'environmentally friendly', and the only way they can do this is to stock what is seemingly the most approved products to get this title...

It will happen at the expense of the consumer who won't ever be consulted on what lines they would like to see stocked in their stores, and there is basically nothing we can do about it, except maybe to shop at smaller, local retailers who are slowly but surely being strangled out of existence and their inability to compete with the larger market forces...

It does piss me off at times, but after all's been said and done... wtf we gonna do about it??

I'm guessing nothing but complain about it, moan for a while, then just take what we can get anyway and let the retailers carry on the way they were always gonna

[megabyteme]

I hear ya, Burnsey. So far, I have been able to voice my cause to my wife and to this forum. And you are the only one who has read it. Talk about "grass roots"...

[Burnsy]

I 'spose I'm similar to you in that I don't mind choosing sensibly, IF I'm allowed to choose for myself... it sometimes annoys me when someone tells me I just HAVE to do something I was gonna do anyway... what's the point??

I like to think I'm pretty chilled usually but I spose we all have our bug bears, and what you highlighted is one of mines

[megabyteme]

It is interesting to note just how similar the "left" and the "right" are when you get down to it. The left has its cause(s) such as the environment, while the right has anti-terrorism. No one wants to be anti-environment any more than they would want to be pro-terrorist.

These "causes" are so easy to buy into that we don't realize how far we have lost control until something wakes us up. Most of the world has come to realize that Bush was (is) a screw up. I don't think it is as easy (or certain) with the environment. After all, how can one be too good to mother nature?

[Barbarossa]

Incandescent bulbs are slowly being phased out all across the EU, I think.

You can get Halogen "energy saver" ones that are less wattage but are supposed to be the same brightness as equivalent incandescent bulbs. They're pretty good actually, and have a longer lifespan.

[Burnsy]

Incandescent bulbs are slowly being phased out all across the EU, I think.

Yeah they are. In fact power companies in the UK are even going as far as to send the new power saving halogen bulbs out free of charge, our cupboards are bloody full of them... they keep sending us them but they last that long we've not had to replace one yet

[Skweeky]

Yup, we have about 12 light bulbs in some cupboard somewhere. The only problem is; they keep sending us the push and twist kind when most of our lights are screw fittings.