Light bulb library

Energy efficieny bulbs are not popular. People complain that they are too dim, take several minutes to warm up and have a harsh light. The new generations of compact fluorescents generally (but not always!) avoid these problems. But even the biggest supermarkets sell only a small range of bulbs, and shoppers cannot know whether they are going to be appropriate for their light fittings.

A group in Charlbury, a small town in west Oxfordshire, is trying to get round consumer distrust by lending out a 'light bulb library' to enable householders to try different types of new bulb for a couple of days in their homes. The library, packed in two large robust bags, contains about 70 bulbs - with a huge variety of different fittings, shapes, tones and wattages. People can borrow the library for 48 hours and then order any bulbs they want at reasonable prices. Delivery is free to their home.

This is a fantastic idea, with real potential to get cautious people to switch. So I copied Charlbury and have just established our own library for north Oxford. The County Council has said it will pay for the library itself and my energetic 14 year old daughter will do the hard work. If anybody else wants to start such as library, please email me at c.goodall@which.net for a list of the bulbs and details of where I got them from. I'll write occasionally about how the scheme is going, the problems we face and customer reactions.