To the Editor:

Re “New Rollback to Ease a Ban on Old Bulbs” (front page, Sept. 5):

Even as government standards are being reduced, industry and individuals do not have to follow meekly along with the new regulations. Continue to limit your household’s emissions, buy fuel-efficient cars and keep your LED bulbs lit.

Judith Martinez

Huxley, Alberta

To the Editor:

Relaxation of the government mandate for the production of energy-efficient light bulbs is a welcome development. If increasing the use of more energy-efficient bulbs is a worthy goal, government bans on less efficient bulbs are not the way to accomplish it. Rather, we should tax inefficient bulbs more heavily so that those who use them bear the costs. The same approach would be a preferable alternative to requiring car manufacturers to meet fuel efficiency standards.

As your article acknowledges, there is significant consumer resistance to certain types of efficient light bulbs. Instead of using the heavy hand of government to dictate the types of products (whether light bulbs or autos) that consumers may buy, we could use the tax system to encourage energy-wise purchasing habits. This approach would accomplish the goal while retaining the substantial benefit of consumer free choice.