Trump terms energy-efficient light bulbs 'no good' as they are expensive and make him 'look orange'
President Donald Trump has strongly come out against energy-efficient light bulbs as they are expensive and make him "always look orange." The POTUS made this observation after his administration rolled back energy efficiency rules for many light bulbs which were laid down during the Obama-era.
There has always been speculation over the reasons why Triump's face has an orange glow, with a A White House official even telling the New York Times that it was down to "good genes," though many people believe he uses fake tan.
Trump's remarks were made while addressing Republican House members in Baltimore at the 2019 House Republican Conference Member Retreat Dinner held on Thursday.
According to a report in Newsweek, Trump said, "The light bulb. People said what's with the light bulb? I said here's the story," He further added. "And I looked at it, the bulb that we're being forced to use, number one to me, most importantly, the light's no good. I always look orange. And so do you. The light is the worst."
He then addressed the topic of price and said, "But number two, it's many times more expensive than that old incandescent bulb that worked very well. And very importantly—I don't know if you know this—they have warnings. If it breaks it's considered a hazardous waste site. It's gasses inside. And read what they say. If it breaks bring it to your local whatever, have it wrapped, have it this—what are we doing? What are we doing? And I said to one of the top people today, well they break a lot don't they? Yes they do, they just throw them away, they don't care."
Not just then, at a recent rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina Trump had also said that while he was not a vain person he preferred incandescent lights because looks better under then than "these crazy lights that are beaming down."
The Department for Energy eliminated energy-efficiency standards for many light bulbs on the market, arguing that it increased customer choice, but campaigners say will substantially increase energy consumption and household costs.
The department in a comparative report said if one were to replace five of the most used light bulbs in residences with energy-saving ones, $75 could be saved since these bulbs use less electricity and last longer. The comparative report by the department also said, "Compared to traditional incandescents, energy-efficient lightbulbs such as halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have the following advantages. Typically use about 25%-80% less energy than traditional incandescents, saving you money. Can last 3-25 times longer."
The report also mentions the "dangerous gas" that Trump mentioned in his speech and explained, "All fluorescent lights contain small amounts of mercury. Some compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) with magnetic ballasts contain small amounts of short-lived radioactive material. Because of these hazardous materials, you should not toss burned-out lamps into the trash," further adding that one should check for a recycling program in their community to recycle these bulbs.
The other thing that Trump spoke about at the meet is The Clean Water Act, which was rolled back by his administration thereby revoking water protection regulations.