Screwing Up$$$

Vivian Song's story in today's Sun about four in 10 Canadian homes "haven't bothered to install energy-saving light bulbs" would have been more balanced had she mentioned the cost of the bulbs.

How many of those Canadian homes are owned by struggling low-income families or fixed-income pensioners who can't afford to pay higher prices for the energy-saving light bulbs?

Two Sylvania Super mini light bulbs purchased at a hardware store this week cost $9.11, including taxes. Multiply that by the number of light bulbs required in a house and you can understand why many Canadians are sticking with the much cheaper standard bulbs.

Vivian, a National Bureau writer, quotes a Sierra Club of Canada spokesman as saying "it's disgraceful" that four in 10 households haven't bothered to change one light bulb. It's really disappointing."

Disappointing?

What is disappointing for fixed-income pensioners and low-income households is the cost of the eco-friendly bulbs. They are living pay cheque to pay cheque and pension cheque to pension cheque and you want them to spend food money on a $4.50 light bulb?

Disgraceful?

What is disgraceful is suggesting all of those four households out of 10 are inhabited by people who don't give a damn about saving energy or saving the planet.

Are manufacturers, politicians or eco groups offering discounts or rebates? We haven't heard of any price breaks, but they would definitely be an incentive.