"Millions of people will start paying a lot more attention to the common light bulb in the coming months, thanks to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). That's because the incandescent light bulbs we've relied on for over a century will have to become much more efficient to comply with EISA's new performance levels, which will be introduced on a staggered basis beginning in 2012 with the phase-out of the popular 100W incandescent lamp, followed by the 75W, 60W, and 40W bulbs phased over two years. The end result will point consumers towards more efficient lighting alternatives, such as CFLs and LEDs. " "The ultimate effect of phasing out inefficient light sources will be significant national energy savings and a shrunken carbon footprint. However, without an effective consumer education process, these new performance levels could cause considerable confusion. More details on the new consumer education initiative will emerge in the coming months as planning evolves, and DOE expects to formally launch the new initiative this Fall."