Incandescent light bulbs will be banned for sale in Canada by Jan. 1, 2011, and by 2014 in the United States.

Seventy-five- and 100-watt bulbs will be gone from store shelves in B.C. as soon as they sell out, while lower wattage bulbs will continue to be sold until next Jan. 1.

As the Vancouver Sun's Randy Shore writes here, consumers are left with two choices: Switch to compact fluorescent lights or renovate to strip out your out-dated lighting system to put in a more efficient system, such as LED or halogen. Both will cost you more money.

Many consumers are not happy with this change in the rules, and The Vancouver Sun has received several letters to the editor from angry British Columbians. Some say they are concerned about the mercury found in compact fluorescent lights, which mean it’s dangerous if a bulb breaks. Others write that the bulbs will not conserve energy, or that they are a scam.