Wal-Mart pushes compact-fluorescent bulbs

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Wal-Mart plans to push compact-fluorescent light bulbs into 100 million U.S. homes, helping the environment and affecting the economy, a report said Tuesday.

"The environment is begging for the Wal-Mart business model," Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer Lee Scott" class="tpstyle">H. Lee Scott Jr. told The New York Times.

Compact fluorescents use 75 percent less electricity than conventional incandescent bulbs. They last 10 times longer, produce 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases and save consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. But they are also eight times as expensive, give off a harsher light and have a peculiar appearance.

As a result, only 6 percent of households use the bulbs.

If Wal-Mart succeeds, U.S. consumers would save $3 billion in electricity costs, the newspaper said.

But because the bulbs last up to eight years, companies such as General Electric would sell far fewer lights. And because the bulbs are made in Asia, U.S. manufacturing jobs could be lost, the newspaper said.