I mined this article out of my old weblog (is that cheating?) because I came accross a similar post at Groovy Green

In Sounds Sustainable Show # 4 I had a segment about Toronto Hydro, my local utility, giving away two free compact flourescent light bulbs to every residence in the city. The program is aimed at reducing demand (which I think has been imposed on all utilites by the Provincial government).I have yet to pick up my two bulbs (it will be nice to have some spare ones kicking around in the cupboard while I wait 4 or 5 years for the present ones to burn out!), but the program has got me thinking. As we rapidly approach a situation where this province (and I am most likely sure that the same goes for your province, state, territory, principality…) is going to have to face some tough decisions on how to meet our future energy demands ( and the even tougher, how are we going to pay for this replacement/upgraded infrastructure?).

Does it not make sense for the gov’t (federal? provincial?, I don’t care!) to step up and give compact flourescent lightbulbs to everyone. Every household, every business, everyone. Just like education and healthcare, Canadians could come to expect that they will always have the soft white glow of a CFL to see them through our long and dark winter.

Sure I can already see the protest from the big box stores and there will likely be others that gripe for some reason or another but in the best interest of all I think it should be done. Waste energy is waste, plain and simple, and last time I checked waste didn’t put money back into healthcare and education? Seriously I want comments on this one! More to come I am sure…