New Age dream may leave us cold

The Editor,
A heads-up for all American ex-pats and those who travel to the USA: as of January 1, 2012, 100-watt incandescent light bulbs are illegal in America. Ownership is allowed but trade, barter, lending, interstate transport, etc. of such will be met by the full force of government. Ontario was thinking of the same ban.
Little did Mr. Franklin know the horror he released when he invented this contraption. Luckily for the human race, Chinese manufacturing came up with an expensive replacement for Benjamin's mistake: a mercury-filled light maker, dangerous to human health, which has to be turned on Tuesday if one wants light Thursday in cold climes.
But at least it does not give off heat. This is where the incandescent went wrong. Who in this great North needs heat? Wants heat, maybe. But needs heat? Hmmm.
Why stop with light bulbs? Let's follow the socialist's dream a little farther. Given free will, the average Jane/Joe consumer might not recognize the benefits of Chinese manufacture and continue to buy what they like. But austerity demands less energy use and mandating personal choice is the best (socialist) way.
Now if everyone were to settle for water in the morning, instead of boiling it for coffee, the energy savings would be tremendous. And toast is only heated bread, so why heat? Just have bread. It takes a little getting used to, but think of the reduced footprint.
So many foods are pre-cooked these days that heating is often optional. Soup could be consumed from the can and endless energy saved. Let the TV dinner thaw out on the TV and eat!
Consider that parka and those winter boots everyone puts on this time of year. Why only wear them outside? Indoor living temperatures could be dramatically reduced if only people could be induced (mandated) to wear long-johns and overcoats 24/7.
Also, socialist science has proven that folk spend significantly less time in the shower when the water temperature is no higher than 2.5 degrees C. So there are great savings still to be had.
The wonderful New Age dream is coming true, one watt at a time: families eating bread, water, and cold food, dressed in parkas while freezing in the light of a zero heat-emitting bulb.
USSR circa 1991, anyone?

Gordon Fraser,
Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, QC