Dim bulb

No one disputes that Malcolm Turnbull, now and once again being promoted as the perfect Liberal leader by people who would never, not in a pink fit, vote for a conservative party, is a very smart man. Journalist, lawyer, investment banker and MP, his is a lustrous CV.

One thing that might not shine quite so bright, however, is the light bulb in the room where you might be reading this very post. Not so long ago, before Turnbull decided to save the world from global warming, your source of illumination likely would have been a cheap, effective, off-patent and bright-as-you-like incandescent bulb. Now, thanks to the Member for Wentworth, it is all compact fluorescents and expensive LEDs.

So, if the push is really afoot to replace Tony Abbott at the Coalition’s helm, as the Fairfax press is reporting, do bear in mind that while Gaia may have appreciated Turnbull’s carbon-cutting efforts on her behalf, she would be less pleased about the increase in mercury contamination from broken and discarded compact globes.

Just as a reminder of what Turnbull has wrought, and in the best interests of good health, follow the link below to a US Environmental Protection Agency guide to cleaning up when a compact fluorescent comes to grief.

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