Australia may shed old lights

How many Aussies will it take to change a lightbulb?

Australia Prime Minister John Howard proposed Tuesday that his country phase out traditional incandescent lightbulbs by 2010 and exchange them for more energy-efficient ones, according to reports.

Howard said that Australia's switch to energy-saving bulbs, like the new fuel-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, could save the country as much as 4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in one year, according to Physorg.

If the measure is passed, Australia would be the first country to make the sale of traditional incandescent lightbulbs illegal.

California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) made a similar proposal in January that would make the sale of incandescent lightbulbs in the state illegal after 2012.