Lighting represents a mere fraction of overall Canadian energy consumption and has a limited potential for energy savings, yet millions of dollars are being spent to promote CLF-related so-called savings.

To put lighting energy consumption into perspective, let's consult the Government of Canada's Sector Sustainability Tables, which are based on Energy Efficiency Analysis Tables published by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), and from the corresponding publication, Energy Efficiency Trends in Canada, 1990–2004 (August 2006). Homes consume 16 percent of all the energy used in Canada, with lighting using five percent of that. Residential lighting represents 0.8 percent of the total energy consumption in Canada.

In the end, Canadians are spending millions of dollars on CFLs in a fruitless effort to reduce a fraction of their energy consumption.

Given the whole range of unstudied yet likely negative environmental and health impacts of CFLs, it would be much smarter to focus on water heating, for example, than on light bulbs. An electric hot water tank consumes five times as much electricity as home lighting does.

If hot water heating was made 10 percent more efficient by using the inexpensive technologies already available- e.g., placing thermal blankets over heaters and installing timers on heating elements-Canadians would save more energy than if they made a complete switch to CFLs. The water heating saving efforts would be cheaper, simpler and would have no detrimental health or environmental effects.

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Walt McGinnis is a licensed electrician, an electromagnetic radiation tester and a member of the EM Radiation Task Force. He is based on Vancouver Island. For more information visit www.mcginniselectric.ca or call (250) 652-2554.

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