Give Green Lighting A Go

The next time that light bulb goes on over your head, make sure it isn't an incandescent bulb, turn it off when you are done and recycle it properly.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - And you thought green lighting was simply a matter of swapping out old incandescent bulbs for fluorescent lighting.

Boy do you have a lot to learn.

When it comes to saving the planet there's a lot more to brightening your home with cooler, less energy demanding light bulbs.

Just check in at TreeHugger.com.

The upstart media outlet is dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream with news, tips, solutions and product information designed to help put a chill on global warming.

The green light section alone is reason enough to, well, go.

When it comes to lighting the way to a healthier planet, here's what Treehugger teaches.

• Fluorescents have come a long way. Now available as screw-in compact florescent bulbs in a variety of shapes, sizes, even colors they can also produce the same warm hue of light available from less expensive but more energy-draining incandescent bulbs. They last as long as 10,000 hours and use one fourth the energy sucked down by incandescents. They also release less heat and that means more money saved on cooling during warm weather.

• Consider LEDs. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are the next generation of light efficiency. Right now, they cost more than fluorescents, but try popping some cheaper ones in your night lights or using LED task lighting. Savings from just those two uses will really put a light bulb over your head. IEDs can last 10 times as long and reduce lighting energy consumption by 80 to 90 percent. What's more, they don't blow. They may dim over time but breakage isn't an issue and they never burn completely out.

Whatever bulb you choose, follow your local jurisdiction's instructions for safe disposal. CFLs and fluorescents contain some mercury. Recycle, don't trash them .

• Consider form and function. Treehugger says sustainability in lighting isn't just about bulbs, but also the fixtures they go into. Remember those bottle lamps you made in middle school? You don't have to go that retro, but you can find eco-friendly lamps and fixtures that use natural, recycled or reused materials.

• Wall warts. Treehugger calls "wall warts" those devices attached to lamps, light fixtures and electrical cords that stay warm and draw energy even when the lighting is not being used. Replace them or attach them to power strips you can turn off when not in use. "Smart" power strips know when devices are off.

• Natural lighting. The sun is no-brainer lighting. Make the most of it by day and consider adding skylights, or fiber optics to "pipe in" solar light. The sun cranks out some free heat gain during the day too. Open those blinds and curtains!

Treehugger says for those who burn the candle power at both ends, whenever possible, try some days planned around the cycle of the sun. Work when there's light available. Go to bed when it isn't. It's good for you and the planet. Besides, if you want to soar with the eagles in the morning, you can't hoot with the owls all night.

• Lighten up. Efficient lighting is only as efficient as your habits allow. It should be second nature to turn off lights when not in use. More specifically, Treehugger says to turn off incandescent bulbs even if you leave the room for a few seconds. Turn off CFLs if you leave the room for 3 minutes. Turn off standard fluorescent bulbs if you leave the room for 15 minutes. Motion sensors, timers and dimmers can help you with your behavior.

• Pay extra. Buy green power from your local utility when it's available. You'll pay a few dollars more a month to support renewable energy development.

• DeadlineNews.Com offers more green news that hits home.

• DeadlineNews.Com offers more global warming news that hits home.

© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

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Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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Cool LEDs Getting 'Green' Light

LEDs are poised to take over your home's lighting chores. Here's what you should know about this new bright technology designed to also lighten the load on your wallet.

by Broderick Perkins
© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom - Just about ready for prime time, the LED is lighting the way to what will become the greatest cost savings yet in household illumination.

Getting a boost from global warming and the need to squeeze more savings out of lighting in general, the tiny LED needs only to match upfront costs with its size to make its energy-efficient lighting technology more economically viable.

LED is short for "light emitting diodes," tiny devices that resemble a very small computer chip sandwiched within thin layers of glass or plastic. When charged with electricity the diode emits light.

LEDs were originally developed as a cheap, reliable solution for both indicator lamps and character displays, say on electronic devices, where they are still used. They are found in consumer electronics, motor vehicle dashboard displays, or any tiny, tight, enclosed area or component requiring a long lasting light source but is not readily suitable for disassembly, repair or replacement.


LEDs are also found in commercial signage and lighting, traffic lights, flashlights, nightlights, book lights as well as jumbo-trons, those massive video displays in Times Square and sporting arenas, according to American Lighting Association

Most LEDs are entering the home today as holiday decorations, small-area task or directional lighting, as well as new lighting fixtures and mainstream, screw-in replacements for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and older incandescent bulbs. It's the mainstream screw-in and fixture replacement area were LED cost premiums create, at first glance, a cost barrier.

For example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb costs less than a buck while a comparable 2 watt LED light bulb, generating an equal level of lumens, costs more than $30.

But don't stop at the upfront cost of a single LED lamp to get a true comparison of the savings. Lamp life, electricity use, and maintenance costs over the expected life of the LED product also must be considered.

• LEDs don't have a filament. Instead of burning out they get progressively dimmer over time.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy good quality LEDs in properly designed fixtures can last as long as 50,000 hours. Some researchers say LED life can be double that. But even DOE's estimated LED lifespan, compared to an incandescent lamp that lasts only 1,000 hours, makes it much more affordable. If it takes 50 incandescent bulbs to match the lifespan of one LED, the replacement costs for the incandescent lamp, at $50, wind up costing more than LED lighting.

CFLs stack up better against LEDs, lasting up to 10,000 hours and larger fluorescent tubes and lamps in fluorescent fixtures can last up to 30,000 hours and more, but there's ballast replacement costs and maintenance to consider.

• Incandescent filament bulbs also waste energy generating heat to create light. Only about 5 to 10 percent of the energy consumed by filament bulbs is used to create light. Because LEDs have no filament they generate very little heat. A much higher percentage, 80 to 90 percent of the electrical power goes directly to generating light in an LED.

Right now, that makes LEDs energy efficiency on par with fluorescent lighting, according to the DOE. But fluorescent efficiency has just about capped out as LED research and development continues to improve efficiency. New generations of LED devices become available approximately every 4 to 6 months, according to the DOE.

• LED's are much more durable and resistant to vibrations and than both incandescent and fluorescent lamps which are prone to breakage, according to the New York State Electric & Gas Corporation. The corporation also said the life span of both fluorescents and incandescent bulbs are shortened by frequent on and off switching.

• Finally, aging baby boomers need more light with less glare and LED lights, which tend to focus and beam light with a reduced glare, fills the bill.

There are many larger energy guzzlers in the home. Lights only account for 25 percent of the home's electric bill, according to the American Lighting Association. But homeowners often tackle light efficiency first because it is energy use you can see, fixtures are easy to get at, change is generally cheap and the savings immediate.

Keep an eye out for LED advances and other technological improvements that really hit home on the DeadlineNews.Com web site.

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© 2008 DeadlineNews.Com

Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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