'Al Gore lightbulbs'

I call them Al Gore lightbulbs. The spiralling flourescent bulbs are more expensive than traditional bulbs, but they use 70 percent less energy, and last 10 times as long.

The problem is they produce the harsh gray-infused light that flourescent bulbs are famous for. Between that and their cost, no one is buying them.

But maybe Wal-Mart can change that.

The NY Times has a piece about Wal-Mart's effort to push these bulbs. And Wal-Mart is used to succeeding (except in Germany), so perhaps they can get Americans, especially lower-income Americans, to realize these bulbs will save money in the long run.

It's a significant challenge.

They're asking people to pay more upfront to achieve a long-term financial gain. That's like the opposite of using a credit card!

Good luck.