One Howard High school student took on an extracurricular project around the holidays that has earned him accolades.
Kyle Mackall, 16, has taken the lead on decorating his family's house on Augustine Avenue.
"He loves Christmas lights on homes and loves going with the family on Christmas night to see homes lit up for the holidays," wrote his mother, Michelle Mackall, in an email to Elkridge Patch. "Two years ago, he decided he wanted our home to be one of those homes.
"We had always had simple white lights and wreaths with red lights around the outside lamp post. He wanted to really kick it up and add lots of color," she continued.
For the second year, Kyle Mackall has strung his house with lights, and the work paid off.
On Dec. 29, Patch selected the Mackalls' home as the Best Decked House in Elkridge.
"We call it the Gingerbread House!" said Michelle Mackall, with her entry. The home radiates holiday spirit, with its colorful maze of lights on the roof and frosty white trim.
Currently, Patch judges are narrowing down the top 860 houses submitted across the country and will select 24 that will go on to compete nationally.
Contest aside, the holiday season alone offers reason to celebrate, said Michelle Mackall, whose family runs CrossLife Communty Church in Elkridge.
"Kyle loves Christmas as it is a time of peace and giving. It is a time to slow down after the busyness of the year. For his father and me, it is a celebration of the birth of Christ—the ultimate gift," she said.
Decorating during the festive season has been a lifelong tradition for Michelle Mackall.
"I have collected Christmas ornaments and decorations since the 7th grade," she said.
Now, what's dear to her has also become something that unites her children.
"Our four kids love to see the house decorated inside and out and love working together," said Michelle Mackall.
The 24 Deck the House winners will be selected by the end of the week and will receive $500 off their electric bills. One finalist will win $100,000 for his or her town's schools.
The homes—which you can see listed here—will be evaluated based on creativity, festive nature of decorations and capturing the spirit of the winter holidays, according to contest rules.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Production processes: A lightbulb moment
The link between the ethereal beauty of Venice and the hard certainties of the factory production system may seem less than obvious. But the connections begin in the very heart of the island city – in an array of buildings guarded by a pair of large stone lions, just a few minutes' stroll from the Piazza San Marco.
Like many former industrial sites, the Venetian arsenal is now used mainly for cultural exhibitions. But it was here, more than 500 years ago, that modern manufacturing was born. The shipyard was the first significant user of standardised parts production – by 1500, 16,000 workers toiled there, turning out everything from firearms to large, wooden-hulled ships, some of which were made in a matter of days.
Standardised parts have been one of the most critical influences behind the development of the 21st century factory system. The process makes possible the production of the 1bn artefacts that sustain and enhance human life, and employs roughly 10 per cent of the world's working population.
The techniques also potentially level the playing field for those who missed out in earlier periods of manufacturing development. Professor Brent Stucker of the University of Louisville in Kentucky says one of the most significant effects will be a re-duction in the amount of conventional industrial infrastructure – machine tools, testing equipment and related factory hardware – that companies and countries require if they are to be considered serious industrial players.
"It will make it easier for nations in the early stages of industrial development – such as in Africa – to leapfrog the conventional route towards building up production capabilities and make a valid contribution to global manufacturing much earlier than would have been regarded possible," says Prof Stucker.
Such opportunities should also be open to smart individuals, says Prof Stucker. Although the competitive advantages of large and well organised global manufacturers will remain, the new ideas will usher in a return to prominence of the artisan production worker – a breed that in most rich nations has become almost extinct since the demise of the blacksmith.
In the epoch of personalised production, the first products likely be made routinely are items that need to fit in with the unique biological features of an individual. They will include bone and dental implants, hearing aids, stents for unblocking arteries and specialised surgical tools.
These are likely to be followed by objects where individual preferences are important, from fashion-related products and jewellery to lighting systems and furniture. Mass personalisation will also benefit the makers of essential, but often barely noticed, industrial products where the need for variation is linked to engineering function. Valve-makers, for instance, already make up to 500,000 varieties to meet the need for flexible operating procedures in different industries.
Humankind has reached this stage after a journey that began around 1,200BC with the use of craft-based techniques to make products, from pots and pans to arrow heads. During such "low-volume customisation", everything was made on a one-off basis. Even with semi-formalised techniques such as glass-blowing, procedures were slow and expensive.
Like many former industrial sites, the Venetian arsenal is now used mainly for cultural exhibitions. But it was here, more than 500 years ago, that modern manufacturing was born. The shipyard was the first significant user of standardised parts production – by 1500, 16,000 workers toiled there, turning out everything from firearms to large, wooden-hulled ships, some of which were made in a matter of days.
Standardised parts have been one of the most critical influences behind the development of the 21st century factory system. The process makes possible the production of the 1bn artefacts that sustain and enhance human life, and employs roughly 10 per cent of the world's working population.
The techniques also potentially level the playing field for those who missed out in earlier periods of manufacturing development. Professor Brent Stucker of the University of Louisville in Kentucky says one of the most significant effects will be a re-duction in the amount of conventional industrial infrastructure – machine tools, testing equipment and related factory hardware – that companies and countries require if they are to be considered serious industrial players.
"It will make it easier for nations in the early stages of industrial development – such as in Africa – to leapfrog the conventional route towards building up production capabilities and make a valid contribution to global manufacturing much earlier than would have been regarded possible," says Prof Stucker.
Such opportunities should also be open to smart individuals, says Prof Stucker. Although the competitive advantages of large and well organised global manufacturers will remain, the new ideas will usher in a return to prominence of the artisan production worker – a breed that in most rich nations has become almost extinct since the demise of the blacksmith.
In the epoch of personalised production, the first products likely be made routinely are items that need to fit in with the unique biological features of an individual. They will include bone and dental implants, hearing aids, stents for unblocking arteries and specialised surgical tools.
These are likely to be followed by objects where individual preferences are important, from fashion-related products and jewellery to lighting systems and furniture. Mass personalisation will also benefit the makers of essential, but often barely noticed, industrial products where the need for variation is linked to engineering function. Valve-makers, for instance, already make up to 500,000 varieties to meet the need for flexible operating procedures in different industries.
Humankind has reached this stage after a journey that began around 1,200BC with the use of craft-based techniques to make products, from pots and pans to arrow heads. During such "low-volume customisation", everything was made on a one-off basis. Even with semi-formalised techniques such as glass-blowing, procedures were slow and expensive.
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Geek chic - a touchy wristwatch
This is a wristwatch but not as we know it. The Mutewatch is much more like a wearable gadget as it packs a lot of technology on to your arm.
It features a touch-sensitive display, vibrating alarms, a timer and a motion sensor that registers even subtle twists of the wrist.
Its clock face also glows with 100Hz LED lights that automatically brighten or dim to suit the environment.
But you might not guess it has all of this technology just by looking at it. In its natural form, the Mutewatch looks more like a wristband with a hip, industrial design.
Mutewatch began its life three years ago as an idea by Swedish economics student Mai-Li Hammargren, who considered adding a vibrating alarm to watches to improve time management and stop waking her boyfriend.
In its development, the Mutewatch gained a touchscreen, a rubber body and the ability to trigger the display by turning your wrist to see it.
The Mutewatch, available in red and charcoal grey, arrives in need of a charge. This is achieved with a USB connection that pops from one end of its wristband. Two hours of power will deliver up to two weeks of wear.
Users can set the time by tapping the screen - the main way you activate and operate this tech-savvy wristwatch.
Holding two fingers on its display lets you set the time, moving the LED numbers up and down until correct.
To use its alarm and stopwatch functions, you simply swipe a finger across the display. Up to five alarms can be set at once and two alarm types are available: short and long. Short alarms vibrate only momentarily while long alarms are delivered with a three-dot pattern on the display. Users must tap the dots to stop the alarm, a useful test of morning awareness.
Alarms can be cancelled with a pinching movement on the display, and you can even tap an on-screen symbol to trigger a snooze function.
The Mutewatch's timer, a further swipe into its menu, lets you set a time limit and vibrates when it's up.
But arguably the coolest part of this watch is the way it shows the time. Whether glowing red or white, the Mutewatch display grabs attention. It appears when you tap the screen or move it to face you - an ingenious addition that makes this one of the most tech-savvy watches around.
The Mutewatch comes in just one size but the rubber band can easily be adjusted to fit wrists smaller than 14cm. It fastens with a press stud.
This hi-tech wristwatch isn't without challenges, however. The rubber attracts black marks easily, though you can wash these off its waterproof exterior. Its capacitive touchscreen can also be unreliable, reacting to some but not all selections. Patience is required.
Quirks aside, the Mutewatch is an exceptional example of geek chic that is bound to have you checking the time obsessively.
It features a touch-sensitive display, vibrating alarms, a timer and a motion sensor that registers even subtle twists of the wrist.
Its clock face also glows with 100Hz LED lights that automatically brighten or dim to suit the environment.
But you might not guess it has all of this technology just by looking at it. In its natural form, the Mutewatch looks more like a wristband with a hip, industrial design.
Mutewatch began its life three years ago as an idea by Swedish economics student Mai-Li Hammargren, who considered adding a vibrating alarm to watches to improve time management and stop waking her boyfriend.
In its development, the Mutewatch gained a touchscreen, a rubber body and the ability to trigger the display by turning your wrist to see it.
The Mutewatch, available in red and charcoal grey, arrives in need of a charge. This is achieved with a USB connection that pops from one end of its wristband. Two hours of power will deliver up to two weeks of wear.
Users can set the time by tapping the screen - the main way you activate and operate this tech-savvy wristwatch.
Holding two fingers on its display lets you set the time, moving the LED numbers up and down until correct.
To use its alarm and stopwatch functions, you simply swipe a finger across the display. Up to five alarms can be set at once and two alarm types are available: short and long. Short alarms vibrate only momentarily while long alarms are delivered with a three-dot pattern on the display. Users must tap the dots to stop the alarm, a useful test of morning awareness.
Alarms can be cancelled with a pinching movement on the display, and you can even tap an on-screen symbol to trigger a snooze function.
The Mutewatch's timer, a further swipe into its menu, lets you set a time limit and vibrates when it's up.
But arguably the coolest part of this watch is the way it shows the time. Whether glowing red or white, the Mutewatch display grabs attention. It appears when you tap the screen or move it to face you - an ingenious addition that makes this one of the most tech-savvy watches around.
The Mutewatch comes in just one size but the rubber band can easily be adjusted to fit wrists smaller than 14cm. It fastens with a press stud.
This hi-tech wristwatch isn't without challenges, however. The rubber attracts black marks easily, though you can wash these off its waterproof exterior. Its capacitive touchscreen can also be unreliable, reacting to some but not all selections. Patience is required.
Quirks aside, the Mutewatch is an exceptional example of geek chic that is bound to have you checking the time obsessively.
Monday, 26 December 2011
Port Hueneme's new mayor aims to keep city running smoothly
Port Hueneme Mayor Douglas Breeze has two priorities: keeping the city solvent and ensuring city employees are given the tools to perform their jobs.
Breeze was elected in 2008 to the Port Hueneme City Council after retiring from a 30-year career as a public employee, with his last position as public works director for Ojai. He was elected Port Hueneme mayor this month by fellow council members.
"After I retired and I was at home under my wife's feet for a few months, my wife looked at me and said, 'You need to find something to do,' " Breeze said. "I love Port Hueneme so much and it happened to be election time, so I filled out the paperwork and won the election."
Breeze was raised in Garden Grove and joined the Navy when he was 17. He served in Vietnam, among his many duties, according to his online biography. From 1981 to 1992, Breeze served in management positions at the Delta Diablo Sanitation District in Northern California and at Chino Basin Municipal Water District in Southern California.
In 1993, Breeze turned down a position with the San Diego Port District to become public works director for Port Hueneme, one of the county's smallest cities, with a population of 21,700, according to the 2010 census.
"Most people who come to Port Hueneme never leave," he said. "It's a beautiful city by the beach with a hometown atmosphere. The citizens watch out for each other. There is an outstanding police department. I can't thank those people enough for what they do."
While serving as the city's public works director, Breeze helped establish the Port Hueneme Water Agency and managed construction of the water treatment facility and distribution system. He left the city in 2003 to work for Ojai, where he remained until he retired in 2007.
"Being mayor was not my goal. My goal is to make sure the city is fiscally solvent and employees have what they need," Breeze said. "I'm more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, getting the work done. The change for me right now is I can't be hands-on. I can't get things done. I'm overseeing the city from a different position that fits in with retirement."
In his short time as mayor, Breeze already has faced a bit of controversy over the issue of separation of church and state. The City Council in recent meetings has approved displaying "In God We Trust" over council members' photos at City Hall and having the city host a menorah and Christmas tree lighting.
Councilman Ellis Green opposed both actions, saying he has problems with the council getting involved with promoting any religious agenda.
But Breeze says the two issues are not indications that the council is seeking a more religious direction.
"It's not a change in Hueneme. For years and years, we had a National Day of Prayer in City Hall and we opened meetings with a prayer," he said. "It's only in the last few years that the so-called political correctness has come in, calling it 'inspiration' instead of 'prayer.' I think some people are taking separation of church and state too far. The Constitution provides that the government shall not establish a religion. It doesn't say people can't portray their religious beliefs."
Breeze was elected in 2008 to the Port Hueneme City Council after retiring from a 30-year career as a public employee, with his last position as public works director for Ojai. He was elected Port Hueneme mayor this month by fellow council members.
"After I retired and I was at home under my wife's feet for a few months, my wife looked at me and said, 'You need to find something to do,' " Breeze said. "I love Port Hueneme so much and it happened to be election time, so I filled out the paperwork and won the election."
Breeze was raised in Garden Grove and joined the Navy when he was 17. He served in Vietnam, among his many duties, according to his online biography. From 1981 to 1992, Breeze served in management positions at the Delta Diablo Sanitation District in Northern California and at Chino Basin Municipal Water District in Southern California.
In 1993, Breeze turned down a position with the San Diego Port District to become public works director for Port Hueneme, one of the county's smallest cities, with a population of 21,700, according to the 2010 census.
"Most people who come to Port Hueneme never leave," he said. "It's a beautiful city by the beach with a hometown atmosphere. The citizens watch out for each other. There is an outstanding police department. I can't thank those people enough for what they do."
While serving as the city's public works director, Breeze helped establish the Port Hueneme Water Agency and managed construction of the water treatment facility and distribution system. He left the city in 2003 to work for Ojai, where he remained until he retired in 2007.
"Being mayor was not my goal. My goal is to make sure the city is fiscally solvent and employees have what they need," Breeze said. "I'm more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, getting the work done. The change for me right now is I can't be hands-on. I can't get things done. I'm overseeing the city from a different position that fits in with retirement."
In his short time as mayor, Breeze already has faced a bit of controversy over the issue of separation of church and state. The City Council in recent meetings has approved displaying "In God We Trust" over council members' photos at City Hall and having the city host a menorah and Christmas tree lighting.
Councilman Ellis Green opposed both actions, saying he has problems with the council getting involved with promoting any religious agenda.
But Breeze says the two issues are not indications that the council is seeking a more religious direction.
"It's not a change in Hueneme. For years and years, we had a National Day of Prayer in City Hall and we opened meetings with a prayer," he said. "It's only in the last few years that the so-called political correctness has come in, calling it 'inspiration' instead of 'prayer.' I think some people are taking separation of church and state too far. The Constitution provides that the government shall not establish a religion. It doesn't say people can't portray their religious beliefs."
Sunday, 25 December 2011
RVers hit the road for the holidays
Some traditions can't be limited by the size or geography of the accommodations.
"We chose this lifestyle, and the people who love us understand," she said.
North American RV enthusiasts claim there are a million part- or full-time nomads living on the road. Some are fleeing cold weather. Others are living newly minimalistic lives off the grid.
"They're tired of the big house, the decorations, the work," said Arlene Van Winkle, office administrator at Palm Springs Oasis RV Resort in Cathedral City. "They're retired and enjoying it. They're here on purpose."
Phil and Jean Hoertling just drove down from their home in Yreka last week. They decided to extract themselves from the chaos of their son's holiday home and set up in Indian Wells RV Resort instead.
Christmas Day, they'll go to a casino.
Still, they packed a small artificial tree for the dashboard and an LED light cone for outside.
"When the kids were little, Christmas was fun. But it's not anymore," said Jean, 74-year-old grandmother to 14.
"This is the best way to do it."
Canadian anthropologists David and Dorothy Counts made a study of RV subculture in the 1990s, going on the road themselves to get it right. The Countses concluded RVers are a unique breed of free thinkers and adventurers.
"RV ownership is not only the means to an extremely independent and self-sufficient way of life, it's also the common thread in a vast community and, in fact, the reason for that community," David Counts said in an Out West Newspaper article posted on the newrver.
RVers re-create neighborhoods and traditions on wheels. One group of French Canadian RVers spends Christmas together every year at a park in Florida.
Will Imanse, a 56-year-old full-time RVer/sailboater and blogger/author, says it's virtually impossible to spend a holiday alone in an RV park. For the first time in a dozen years, he and his wife are flying back to British Columbia for the holidays.
"The entire RV lifestyle is one of fraternity. If you are parked anywhere for any length of time, you will have a number of new friends," Imanse wrote in an email from Mexico.
RV parks are as varied as their residents. Some desert rest stops provide weekend coffee and doughnut brunches, bridge tournaments, decoration contests and Christmas Eve potlucks. But at others, tinsel is kept to a minimum.
At Palm Springs Oasis, Rory and Sue Melville are navigating a holiday dilemma of a different kind. But it's nothing new: She converted to Judaism 20 years ago. He was raised an indifferent Protestant.
Now, they split the difference between their traditions. There's a Hanukkah flag hooked to the hitch. Inside their "condo on wheels," a big poinsettia rests on the end table. A royal blue tinsel boa skirts the door. She is celebrating the eight-day Festival of Lights. They'll probably roast some beef for Christmas.
"We chose this lifestyle, and the people who love us understand," she said.
North American RV enthusiasts claim there are a million part- or full-time nomads living on the road. Some are fleeing cold weather. Others are living newly minimalistic lives off the grid.
"They're tired of the big house, the decorations, the work," said Arlene Van Winkle, office administrator at Palm Springs Oasis RV Resort in Cathedral City. "They're retired and enjoying it. They're here on purpose."
Phil and Jean Hoertling just drove down from their home in Yreka last week. They decided to extract themselves from the chaos of their son's holiday home and set up in Indian Wells RV Resort instead.
Christmas Day, they'll go to a casino.
Still, they packed a small artificial tree for the dashboard and an LED light cone for outside.
"When the kids were little, Christmas was fun. But it's not anymore," said Jean, 74-year-old grandmother to 14.
"This is the best way to do it."
Canadian anthropologists David and Dorothy Counts made a study of RV subculture in the 1990s, going on the road themselves to get it right. The Countses concluded RVers are a unique breed of free thinkers and adventurers.
"RV ownership is not only the means to an extremely independent and self-sufficient way of life, it's also the common thread in a vast community and, in fact, the reason for that community," David Counts said in an Out West Newspaper article posted on the newrver.
RVers re-create neighborhoods and traditions on wheels. One group of French Canadian RVers spends Christmas together every year at a park in Florida.
Will Imanse, a 56-year-old full-time RVer/sailboater and blogger/author, says it's virtually impossible to spend a holiday alone in an RV park. For the first time in a dozen years, he and his wife are flying back to British Columbia for the holidays.
"The entire RV lifestyle is one of fraternity. If you are parked anywhere for any length of time, you will have a number of new friends," Imanse wrote in an email from Mexico.
RV parks are as varied as their residents. Some desert rest stops provide weekend coffee and doughnut brunches, bridge tournaments, decoration contests and Christmas Eve potlucks. But at others, tinsel is kept to a minimum.
At Palm Springs Oasis, Rory and Sue Melville are navigating a holiday dilemma of a different kind. But it's nothing new: She converted to Judaism 20 years ago. He was raised an indifferent Protestant.
Now, they split the difference between their traditions. There's a Hanukkah flag hooked to the hitch. Inside their "condo on wheels," a big poinsettia rests on the end table. A royal blue tinsel boa skirts the door. She is celebrating the eight-day Festival of Lights. They'll probably roast some beef for Christmas.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Family's light display attracts onlookers
Driving past a high-tech holiday light display in Highlands Ranch has turned into an annual tradition that attracts families from all over the metro area.
The Wortham family spends three days strategically placing 43,000 LED lights all over their house at 1582 Meyerwood Circle and synchronizing them to Christmas music that plays on an fm station that passers-by can tune into. Cleve Wortham said the display slowly evolved and three years ago was turned into a mechanism to raise money for charity.
United Cerebral Palsy Colorado is the beneficiary of donations that onlookers drop into a box in the Worthams' front yard. This year's donations have dropped sharply, however, the past two years have generated $7,000 for kids with cerebral palsy.
The compliments and thank-you cards from those who make the display a part of their holiday season are well-received, Wortham said.
"My biggest kick is watching people enjoying something you worked on," he said. "For some people, it makes their Christmas season and that's very satisfying."
The idea came about when Wortham's youngest daughter suggested during a trip around Denver to see the light displays that the family attempt to get listed with others in the Denver Post by building their own production. Putting the whole thing together is a group effort, with the take-down being the most important part, Wortham said.
The family uses energy efficient light bulbs, cutting the total cost for running the computer-animated light exhibit to about $150. Neighbors surrounding the home have been very supportive. The lights will be turned off on New Year's Day.
One intersection that led to the city looking into the project was Alabama Highway 69 South and Skyland Boulevard, Robinson said.
"That one got us looking at how we can better get the attention of drivers that are just ignoring red lights," Robinson said.
The study will break down types of accidents and try to pull out of that list the intersections that show the highest rate of right-angle collisions.
Robinson said the process to get legislative approval for red light cameras in Tuscaloosa began seven years ago. The Legislature passed a state law in 2010 allowing the city to use the cameras for traffic enforcement.
The Wortham family spends three days strategically placing 43,000 LED lights all over their house at 1582 Meyerwood Circle and synchronizing them to Christmas music that plays on an fm station that passers-by can tune into. Cleve Wortham said the display slowly evolved and three years ago was turned into a mechanism to raise money for charity.
United Cerebral Palsy Colorado is the beneficiary of donations that onlookers drop into a box in the Worthams' front yard. This year's donations have dropped sharply, however, the past two years have generated $7,000 for kids with cerebral palsy.
The compliments and thank-you cards from those who make the display a part of their holiday season are well-received, Wortham said.
"My biggest kick is watching people enjoying something you worked on," he said. "For some people, it makes their Christmas season and that's very satisfying."
The idea came about when Wortham's youngest daughter suggested during a trip around Denver to see the light displays that the family attempt to get listed with others in the Denver Post by building their own production. Putting the whole thing together is a group effort, with the take-down being the most important part, Wortham said.
The family uses energy efficient light bulbs, cutting the total cost for running the computer-animated light exhibit to about $150. Neighbors surrounding the home have been very supportive. The lights will be turned off on New Year's Day.
One intersection that led to the city looking into the project was Alabama Highway 69 South and Skyland Boulevard, Robinson said.
"That one got us looking at how we can better get the attention of drivers that are just ignoring red lights," Robinson said.
The study will break down types of accidents and try to pull out of that list the intersections that show the highest rate of right-angle collisions.
Robinson said the process to get legislative approval for red light cameras in Tuscaloosa began seven years ago. The Legislature passed a state law in 2010 allowing the city to use the cameras for traffic enforcement.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Ontario backs down on incandescent bulb ban
Drop any fears the light bulb police might be peeking in your windows or pounding on the door New Year's Day searching for energy-hungry incandescents.
Energy Minister Chris Bentley confirmed Wednesday that Ontario is scrapping a five-year-old promise to make it "lights out" for incandescent bulbs in 2012 by banning stores from selling them.
He blamed a recent federal government decision to delay new energy efficiency standards for light bulbs until Jan. 1, 2014, when it will become illegal to import inefficient incandescent lighting across the country.
"Did it make sense for us to have a different approach from the federal government on this issue? No," Bentley said.
"Our thinking is how do we make it easiest for consumers. It would be hard and confusing to do it differently."
The Star first reported on Saturday that the Ontario promise, made by former energy minister Dwight Duncan in 2007, was in jeopardy because of the federal move.
But postponing the incandescent ban for two years will just make it harder for the province to meet its energy conservation targets already under fire by Ontario Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller, said New Democrat environment critic Peter Tabuns.
"In keeping with the season, this is a lump of coal," said the MPP for Toronto-Danforth, noting that the new compact fluorescent bulbs use less than half the electricity of incandescent bulbs.
Ottawa changed its plans to "allow for innovations in technology" and to improve recycling options for new energy-efficient bulbs, which last far longer and use less electricity than incandescents, but contain mercury.
That means consumers should be disposing of compact fluorescent bulbs in hazardous waste dumps, as they would with old paint and other toxic household substances, said Bentley.
The two-year reprieve for the incandescents ban will give governments time to come up with a "better approach" for disposing of compact fluorescents, he added.
Also in 2014, energy efficiency levels will be increased for 100- and 75-watt light bulbs, with higher levels expected for 60- and 40-watt bulbs by the end of that year.
Banning incandescent bulbs was intended as an energy conservation measure and to ease pressure on energy ratepayers because building new electricity plants, green power and infrastructure is costly.
Under political pressure from opposition parties over rising electricity prices caused by upgrading the provincial power system, Premier Dalton McGuinty's government last year brought in a 10 per cent cut on residential, farm and small business electric bills called the Clean Energy Benefit.
But taxpayers are still paying the cost of that break on their bills, because it costs the provincial treasury more than $1 billion annually at a time when the government is running a $16 billion deficit.
As well, Bentley has still not said how much it will cost taxpayers for cancelled power plants in Oakville and Mississauga.
Energy Minister Chris Bentley confirmed Wednesday that Ontario is scrapping a five-year-old promise to make it "lights out" for incandescent bulbs in 2012 by banning stores from selling them.
He blamed a recent federal government decision to delay new energy efficiency standards for light bulbs until Jan. 1, 2014, when it will become illegal to import inefficient incandescent lighting across the country.
"Did it make sense for us to have a different approach from the federal government on this issue? No," Bentley said.
"Our thinking is how do we make it easiest for consumers. It would be hard and confusing to do it differently."
The Star first reported on Saturday that the Ontario promise, made by former energy minister Dwight Duncan in 2007, was in jeopardy because of the federal move.
But postponing the incandescent ban for two years will just make it harder for the province to meet its energy conservation targets already under fire by Ontario Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller, said New Democrat environment critic Peter Tabuns.
"In keeping with the season, this is a lump of coal," said the MPP for Toronto-Danforth, noting that the new compact fluorescent bulbs use less than half the electricity of incandescent bulbs.
Ottawa changed its plans to "allow for innovations in technology" and to improve recycling options for new energy-efficient bulbs, which last far longer and use less electricity than incandescents, but contain mercury.
That means consumers should be disposing of compact fluorescent bulbs in hazardous waste dumps, as they would with old paint and other toxic household substances, said Bentley.
The two-year reprieve for the incandescents ban will give governments time to come up with a "better approach" for disposing of compact fluorescents, he added.
Also in 2014, energy efficiency levels will be increased for 100- and 75-watt light bulbs, with higher levels expected for 60- and 40-watt bulbs by the end of that year.
Banning incandescent bulbs was intended as an energy conservation measure and to ease pressure on energy ratepayers because building new electricity plants, green power and infrastructure is costly.
Under political pressure from opposition parties over rising electricity prices caused by upgrading the provincial power system, Premier Dalton McGuinty's government last year brought in a 10 per cent cut on residential, farm and small business electric bills called the Clean Energy Benefit.
But taxpayers are still paying the cost of that break on their bills, because it costs the provincial treasury more than $1 billion annually at a time when the government is running a $16 billion deficit.
As well, Bentley has still not said how much it will cost taxpayers for cancelled power plants in Oakville and Mississauga.
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