Posts Tagged ‘light’

This video shows the massive effects that climate change are having on our planet. Global warming is producing climate change that has cauased natural disasters. The energy saving light bulbs is a very positive contributor to environmental sustainability. Evergy traditional light bulb that is changes for an energy saving light bulb can save 100kg in C02 emissions.

The world seems to be all about efficiency and ways to protect the environment. You want to conserve energy, but sometimes it is hard to know if products are more hype than anything or if they are really worth the investment. You hear about energy efficient lights all the time, you see them in the store right next to the cheap light bulbs that you always buy. The light bulbs that claim to be energy efficient are more expensive so you pass them by but this is actually costing you money!!

Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs do help the environment, conserve energy and save money in the long run. These energy efficient bulbs use an incredible sixty five to eighty percent LESS energy than the incandescent bulbs you usually buy. This means that switching to CFL bulbs instead of the less efficient bulbs that many of us use, you can actually save up to 7% off your energy bill each month. These bulbs also last much longer than a regular bulb and so while you pay more for one initially you save money because they can last longer than regular bulbs which you would have to replace two or three times (or more).

Compact Fluorescent Lamp bulbs work differently than regular light bulbs. Regular bulbs use most of the electricity to heat up the filament inside of them which in turn lights up. Only about 2% of the electricity used by these light bulbs is actually used to produce light, the rest is used to create heat. A Compact Fluorescent bulb passes the electrical current through a mercury vapour which in turn creates an ultraviolet light. The light created is then absorbed by the phosphorescent coating that is on the light bulb which produces a glowing effect.

CFL bulbs turn over 20% of the energy they use into light so they require much less energy to produce the same brightness as a regular bulb. These bulbs can be used in your existing light fixtures and lamps so there is no extra cost to convert to them above the initial cost of the bulbs, which as stated above is made up for in energy savings and longer lasting bulbs.

Another choice for energy efficient lighting is to use LED ((Light Emitting Diode) bulbs. Light emitting diode bulbs are by far the most energy efficient bulbs available. These bulbs do not generate heat and do not have a filament. They very rarely need replacing and last longer than any other option. They are one of the safest choices as well because they do not generate heat there is not a concern of being burned or a fire occurring because of the bulb. Light Emitting Diode bulbs do require the initial investment and you may need to change the fixtures.

The return on your investment by the immense saving on energy bills and almost never needing to replace the bulbs is above and beyond any amount that you spend at first. You also have the knowledge that you are saving tonnes of greenhouse gases from harming the environment. LED lighting is becoming more affordable every day with the growing demand for energy efficient lighting and is most definitely the way of lighting the future for years to come.Energy efficient lighting is not only smart but is one way to cut down on your carbon footprint, save the environment and keep money in your pocket rather than the electric company’s.

People nowadays are very much educated with respect to current global warming and climate change conditions and hence, they prefer to go for energy saving light bulbs for their home and business lighting needs. But in order to achieve this desire as well as get the perfect lighting, you need to make a careful selection of a reputed brand which saves maximum energy. Make the right distinction as to which bulb produces the proper lighting because some of these bulbs produce less light. Electricians or lighting experts are the best people to approach if you are finding it difficult to find the right energy saving lights for your lighting fixture.

Once you have fixed the energy saving bulbs, do not expect your electricity bill to go down right away. It always takes some time to see a noticeable difference in your bill and this cost saving increases as you use these bulbs more and more. You will notice the actual savings over a period of maybe a year and when you calculate the saving over the duration, you will be a satisfied customer and you will feel that the energy saving light bulbs you bought are actually worth the money you paid for. You can replace almost all the light bulbs in your house with energy saving ones. Doing so will considerably reduce your energy bills.

Of all the different types of bulbs available, the decorative ones are the most used and tend to use up a lot of power. So if you want to really save money on lighting and help the world, then these are the bulbs that you should be willing to change or replace with energy saving ones. But always keep in your mind that lights are an important part of your home décor and great care should be taken with respect to this matter. So put in a good amount of time and energy while selecting energy saving bulbs for your house.

What are the different kinds of energy saving light bulbs available? There are different kinds of bulbs depending upon their functionality and cost. Some of them are MR16, Tune, xenon, candle blunt tip, halogen, and fluorescen. You can test them by the way they illuminate a given space. You have to set these light up in such a way that you get the perfect illumination to complement the interior of your house.

If energy is not a a constraint then fluorescent bulbs are the best lighting fixtures available in the market. But care must be taken to ensure that they are properly installed. Fluorescent lamps have the property of diffusing light equally in all directions. Some people might find this property pretty irritating and that is the main reason not many people opt for this kind of lighting system. But nowadays we get advanced fluorescent fixtures with advanced properties, which do not only act as good light fixtures but also elegant decorative items.

Halogen Light Bulbs

Then there are the halogen light bulbs. These bulbs have a tungsten filament and a gas-filled gas enclosure. These lights are considered to be the brightest energy sources available in the market today. If you are looking for spot lights to highlight certain parts of your house like the fireplace or a painting on a wall, then halogen light bulbs are a good option. You can go for larger halogen bulbs if you want to use them in a home theater or entertainment room where bigger spot lights are needed.

Light! Could life exist without it? We all feel better on a sunny day. Fill your life with Indoor Sunshine! Available from Light for Health, Inc., these full spectrum light bulbs closely match natural daylight and allow you to feel the calming effects of sunshine even when indoors. Works in 3-way lamps, but not with dimmer switches or touch-on lamps. These light bulbs last as long as 13 regular light bulbs! www.LightForHealth.com www.LightStudies.info Order toll-free 800~468~1104

Want to find LED Bulb Light? The Green Lantern website offers a searchable led catalog, spec sheets and photometric files. A variety of LED household and industrial lights includes Energy saving lamps, full spectrum light bulb, led light bulbs etc. www.nyleds.com

19 nine-volt batteries are used to power a compact fluorescent lamp. Since these lamps internally rectify the AC to DC and then raise voltage with high-frequency switching, feeding them with 170 VDC should do the trick. Beware: this lamp is rated for 220 VAC, not 120 VAC. For 120 VAC lamps, 10 to 12 batteries should be enough. Do it at your own risk.

Video Demonstrating the Energy saving Light bulb of an LED and the light comparison to a standard Incandescent light bulb. Thanks for looking. The www.theinternetswitchstore.co.uk Team

Choosing the right bulb and fixture for energy savings has become a practical necessity for homeowners. Beyond just building and selling homes, however there is a practical need for homes to feature energy saving lighting fixtures when placed on the market for sale. One way to add value to a home and increase the possibility of a sale in today’s troubled housing market is to install energy saving light bulbs and fixtures.

Homeowners can add affordable and energy efficient lighting throughout a home for very little money these days. Energy saving light bulbs are available in two forms, familiar fluorescent lights, or tubes, and compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs. CFLs have become far more affordable and are in greater demand than the old tube-style light bulbs. Older fluorescent light tubes are still being used for energy savings in buildings that require lots of direct overhead lighting.

The major drawback with using fluorescent lights has always been the quality of the color of the light they produce. With the need to offset rising energy costs, fluorescent light bulbs have evolved into several different shapes and smaller sizes that yield the same amount of light as their less-atttractive predecessors. Fluorescent light bulbs that produce a full light spectrum are now available. These bulbs are ideal for almost any application, including kitchen lighting, under cabinet fluorescent lighting, commercial fluorescent lighting and even decorative fluorescent lighting. Over the years, fluorescent lighting fixtures have gained wide spread acceptance, typically installed in kitchens, bathrooms and family rooms where abundant overhead lighting is required.

Long lasting and energy efficient CFL bulbs are now smaller than ever and suitable for almost every lighting situation. Fluorescent light bulbs are completely adaptable for ambient lighting effects, task lighting, or accent lighting situations. There is also a plant-friendly fluorescent light that enhances growing indoor plants.

Due to the need to save energy and reduce expenses, compact fluorescent bulbs are replacing inefficient incandescent bulbs everywhere. With remarkable improvements in porportion, style and shape, CFL bulbs are far more economical, making them the best choice for most household and office lighting situations. One negative aspect of using CFL bulbs is that they are not usable with a dimmer switch. Despite this problem, however, they have gained wide spread popularity with interior designers.

Nowadays, CFL bulbs come in a wide selection of sizes, shapes, and lumens. Today’s models are totally unlike those earlier models that have an ugly, commercial appearance. New compact fluorescent feature smaller sizes, longer lives, instant-on and the same energy efficiency as earlier models. Today’s CFL bulbs are available as “Super Savers”, “micro-mini”, “Instant-On”, “Soft White” and “Now smaller than ever”. While the initial outlay for CFL bulbs can be a bit daunting, there are several buying initiatives underway to help consumers offset the cost. When buying CFL replacement bulbs, consumers should match the amount of light, or lumens, required for each location and the lowest power consumption, as measured in watts.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are destined to advance in energy savings technology, efficiency, and design. Maintaining a good lighting style is a matter of blending together the different elements present in individual rooms. When considering the optimal light design, determining the amount of energy savings is a good beginning, but in the end design, function and decor determine which type of fixture suits your needs the best.

Thanks for reviewing this article, I hope you found the instruction useful. You can read many more articles like this one at PracticalRepairs.com.

Recycle light bulbs, tips from a conservation expert, and learn about the Household Hazard Waste Collection Program in thisfree environmental video. Expert: Nili Nathan Contact: earth911.org Bio: Nili Nathan, host of “Great Healing Getaways”, is the creator of a television series and Web site on holistic health, where she researches, writes, and reports. Filmmaker: Nili Nathan

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), more commonly referred to as an energy saving light bulb (ESB) is a type of fluorescent lamp. The energy saving light bulb has been created to substitute for the standard incandescent lamp that many people still use. They fit into exactly the same standard light fixtures as incandescent light bulbs so you needn’t have to spend on new fittings to accommodate them.

Energy saving bulbs emit the same amount of visible light but use less power to do so, plus they have a longer rated life. While the purchase price is typically a more than that of an equivalent incandescent lamp, the extended lifetime and lower energy use will more than compensate for the higher initial cost. For example making the change in your home can save approximately twenty pounds in electricity costs over the course of a year. The average rated life of a these bulbs is up to 15 times more than that of an incandescent bulbs with a rated lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually expected to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.

For a given light output, energy saving bulbs use 20-33 percent of the power of equivalent incandescent lamps. Around 10% of UK household carbon emissions come from light bulbs so the environmental benefit of these bulbs could be enormously significant.

Energy saving bulbs are produced for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) input. DC energy saving bulbs are often used in recreational vehicles as well as in households. Interestingly, they can also be operated using solar powered street lights, using solar panels located on the top or sides of a pole and luminaries that are specially wired to use the lamps. This makes them an even more eco-friendly feature.

Although incandescent bulbs reach full brightness a fraction of a second after being switched on energy saving bulbs manufactured after 2009 also turn on within a second, but they do still take time to warm up to full brightness. Some energy saving bulbs are marketed as “instant on” and have no noticeable warm-up time scale, but others can take up to 60 seconds to reach full brightness or longer in very low temperatures.

It is important that we all play a part in trying to reduce our own carbon emissions. Every little bit we do, even if it’s as simple as changing a light bulb contributes towards slowing down global warming and protecting our future.

The modern florescent lamp was first conceived by Peter Cooper Hewitt in the late 1890s and they were initially used for large industrial buildings and photographic studios.

This technology was later applied in the first commercially practical compact florescent light bulb (CFL) designed by George Inman and the General Electric Company. Although this development was designed over 70 years ago it was the forerunner to the modern CFL invented by Ed Hammer and General Electric in response to the 1973 oil crisis. Although a successful design, the invention wasn’t manufactured due to the expensive costs of production and the potential investment needed. The design was subsequently leaked and copied by other leading manufacturers leading to a gradual increase in usage and continued improvements.

Due to the rising cost of electricity in both the UK and the US many households and business, keen to reduce costs, have switched there lighting to CFL bulbs as they are on average 10 times more efficient. CFLs also help to reduce carbon emissions leading to a planned phase-out by the EU ensuring incandescent bulbs are no longer available by 2011. Despite the potential cost saving gained there remain staunch critics to CFL energy saving bulbs in the popular press. Much of this criticism involves popular myths associated with ‘energy savers’ that have long since been ironed out by manufacturers.

With headlines such as ‘Environmentally friendly light bulbs ‘can cause skin cancer’’ (2008) and ‘Revolt! Robbed of their right to buy traditional light bulbs’ (2009) the Daily Mail is leading the campaign against Energy Saving bulbs. Such reports have been slammed by the government and the Lighting Association as irresponsible ‘scare stories’ to sell newspapers and last year the Energy Saving Trust set out to convert the public by introducing the ‘Pepsi Challenge’. This survey, to study people’s reactions to energy saving bulbs, allowed people to enter two different rooms, one lit by energy savers and the other by traditional light bulbs. The study found that half the people could not tell the difference and additionally 2 out of 3 people preferred the energy saving ones.

Concerns over the mercury content of energy saving bulbs have also been one of the papers ‘buzz topics’. Realistically however most modern CFLs use amalgam, a mercury substitute that is completely safe to handle, transport and store and poses no direct risk to humans or the environment. Other bulbs use recycled mercury and their price included a recycling charge making them far more environmentally friendly than incandescent bulbs.

With climate change a continual threat to our way of life, is it irresponsible for the Daily Mail to wage war against energy saving products? The paper reported almost continually throughout the beginning of the recession on ‘money saving tips. There promotion earlier this year to distribute a free 100w bulb to every reader has been criticised by some environmental groups as ‘climate suicide’.

The paper tends to use outdated views of CFLs to convince its readership that they are being policed into buying something they don’t want. However, is it not true that in many aspects of our advanced capitalist society? Indeed wasn’t the UK’s newspaper media guilty of ‘barging out’ the smaller niche newspapers in order to create a greater market share (and limited consumer choice).

As paper news becomes ever more obsolete, newspapers need bigger gimmicks and more shocking headlines to shift units, this results in more questionable facts and more outlandish claims. I encourage anyone to seek a balanced view in the topic, and I am confident that reducing energy cost and carbon emissions is a good thing. I encourage you to take a look at Greenhouse Organisation should you require energy saving light bulbs.

Learn how to make a cool vase out of recycled light bulbs! Don’t throw them away

It’s human nature. We’re always eager to explore the newest product, especially the ones touted to improve our lives. At the same time, we can be skeptical about new product technologies, and it can be hard to decide what, and whether, to buy. This is certainly the case with energy-saving light bulbs. The Energy Independence and Security Act, passed in December of 2007, started the clock ticking on the end of the inexpensive and reliable incandescent light bulb. While it’s true that a few bulb manufacturers have flirted with the idea of nudging the energy efficiency of Mr. Edison’s classic up enough to meet the law’s requirements, it now appears likely that U.S. consumers will need to convert to 21st century green light bulbs for most uses starting in 2012.

The mainstream media has been full of news about the coming light bulb revolution. In the last week of May alone, both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times ran high profile articles addressing emerging trends on CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) and LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs.

Since they cost more than traditional bulbs, most people buy energy-saving light bulbs for two main reasons: they save money in the long run and they’re better for the environment. Specifically, because green light bulbs use much less energy to produce the same amount of light, they reduce harmful gas emissions from coal-fired power plants (which generate 50% of the electricity used in the United States).

So consumers should immediately replace all their incandescents with energy-saving light bulbs, right? Well, not so fast. With lighting, quality matters especially in our homes where we gather, read, cook, eat, celebrate and entertain. There’s a perception that green light bulbs require sacrificing light quality. Don’t believe it. Many eco-friendly light bulbs cast soft, beautiful light. And no one should feel guilty about not switching out every fixture containing a regular light bulb. Invest first in replacing the bulbs used most frequently. Savings will be bigger and pay back periods shorter with this approach. And truth be told, there are scenarios where the best bulb is the old-fashioned incandescent.

7 Keys to Choosing the Best Green Light Bulbs for Your Home or Office

Choosing from the many energy-saving light bulbs on the market today can be tricky. Gone are the days when all that mattered was bulb wattage and shape.

By keeping these seven simple guidelines in mind, you’ll be on a path to making smart decisions about what to buy to meet your needs for energy-saving light bulbs in this new green age:

1. Pay more, not less – to save money in the long run, your new green light bulbs should be able to last for several thousand hours. If you buy the cheapest ones you can find, the odds are greater that they won’t.

2. Pick your spots – if a fixture is completely enclosed or is lit for less than 15 minutes at a time and less than two hours a day, CFLs are a poor investment. Low energy, mercury-free halogens are available that are worth a look in these situations. Wait until the existing bulb burns out (or hold onto it for later use – see #6).

3. Nobody likes the blues – the bluish light cast by many fluorescent tubes is not appealing to most homeowners. When buying CFLs and LEDs choose “warm white” or “soft white” labels for color that will look pleasingly familiar. Energy-saving light bulbs labeled “cool white,” “natural light,” or “daylight” are blue-hued and best for targeted applications like reading, task lighting and exterior fixtures, not for living areas, atmosphere or accent lighting.

4. Dimming for dummies – most CFL and LED bulbs can’t be used with dimmer switches. Look for green light bulbs that are boldly labeled “dimmable.” And while the industry has made great strides in recent years, most energy-saving light bulbs do not dim as well as traditional incandescent bulbs. However, the big energy savings are compelling for most homeowners. Making the switch to dimmable CFLs or LEDs in a busy family kitchen can be a real money saver, including reduced cooling costs because neither type generates as much heat as incandescents. Last point: the dimmer switch should be compatible with the green light bulbs you buy.

5. Let’s do the twist – spiral or “twister” CFLs are the least expensive type. If these green light bulbs are hidden behind a shade (though not totally enclosed), buying a spiral lamp will cut the payback period versus glass covered CFLs.

6. Stay out of the closet – most closets need short bursts of instantaneous light. This is usually true of powder rooms, basements, attics and garages. Among energy saving light bulbs, CFLs in particular aren’t suited for this purpose. Traditional bulbs (or again, low energy halogens) are best in these scenarios until something better comes along.

7. Innovative, intriguing, expensive – mercury-free LED bulbs are the future of lighting, case closed. These green light bulbs use less electricity than even CFLs and they last 30,000 hours or more. However, current prices per bulb are as high as $100, which means the payback period for most home-based uses is too long to justify the price. If you are curious about this new technology and live in an area with high retail electricity costs, you might consider LED replacement bulbs for one or two fixtures that get a lot of use (6+ hours per day). Re-read Key #1 before you invest in these types of energy-saving light bulbs.

Ignore the Naysayers – Green Light Bulbs Are Here to Stay

One last point: mercury makes CFLs (and fluorescent tubes for that matter) work. Some serious people, including syndicated columnist George Will, say we should avoid energy-saving light bulbs for this reason. We disagree. Coal-fired electricity generation is the largest contributor of mercury to the environment. Through reduced electricity consumption, a single CFL will keep a lot more mercury out of the environment over its lifetime than it contains. Still, releasing any mercury into the environment is a bad idea, so it’s important to recycle CFLs when they stop working. Recycling your used green light bulbs is getting easier all the time. Visit www.lamprecycle.org for resources.

Green light bulbs are here to stay. This is good news for our wallets and our world because the cheapest, cleanest kilowatt of electricity is the one that is never produced in the first place. Become smart enough to buy the right energy-saving light bulbs and don’t look back.