Forty-two million energy-saving lightbulbs were sent out by utilities companies in the three months before Christmas under the government's £3bn energy-efficiency scheme, even though many are unlikely to be used.
Since the scheme began less than two years ago, 224m bulbs have been distributed – almost 10 for each household. According to a survey by the Energy Saving Trust last year, the average home had six unused bulbs lying in drawers.
I would not regard this a complete waste, low energy lamps keep well (though perhaps not indefinatly) are not bulky to store, and will eventually fail and need replacement.
LEDs show great promise and are already the best choice for some lighting, but are not yet ready to replace most 100/150 watt incandescents or 20/40 watt CFLs.
I have donated a number of CFLs to local good causes, village halls and the like are still normally lit by GLS lamps, often because that is what has allways been used, and the non-technical volunteers have been told to "replace like with like"
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
I look after an old bank and it's lit with 250w uplighters. Loads of 'em... I have said that they're wasting loads of energy, but that perticular bank doesn't seem to care... Owned by the HMG anyway
