The quality of light affects people in many different ways. Studies have shown that appropriate lighting layouts can increase the attractiveness of homes, correct room lighting can sometimes make the difference between happiness and sadness and correct lighting is needed to do anything past sunset without creating health impacts of some sort.
Lighting is also the third largest generator of greenhouse gas emissions in the home so has an impact on our personal ‘climate change’ impact. Given that we all know how important that we take action on climate change immediately, this is at least one factor that you can have immediate impact on. So…with such an important issue as lighting, how do you decide on the type of lighting most suited for you and best for your family and the planet?
Fortunately Ecospecifier.com.au has an extensive range of products that are all verified or certified against sustainability standards so next time you are shopping, think Ecospecifier and explore through our listings of green products and technologies.
The hardest step is always the first step, so let’s make this step towards sustainability a little one and begin with lighting.
The traditional incandescent light bulb used to be the typical light bulb in any given home environment, but was basically banned some years ago by the federal government. However fancy and coloured bulbs are typically still incandescent and today more ‘efficient’ versions have been created, but they are still poor by comparison to other types. These light bulbs use a large amount of energy required for its operation due to its inefficient nature and relatively short lifespan (only up to 1000 hours), they can also be dangerous as the temperatures on the bulb can reach in excess of 140 degrees Celsius!
Therefore, there are several benefits to completely eliminating the use of incandescent and tungsten light bulbs in your home. Foremost is the direct financial savings in your power bills; you will also be doing your part in reducing the effect of manmade climate change and reducing the emission of serious toxics like mercury that are emitted alongside the carbon dioxide when coal is burnt.
Today there are many highly efficient lamp alternatives that are equivalent in light output to all conventional lighting types, including ‘low voltage’ tungsten lamps. Do note, however, that ‘low voltage’ does not equate to energy efficient – these lamps are almost as bad as incandescent and usually there are a lot more used in any given area.
Fluorescents and compact fluorescents are now relatively cheap and energy efficient, but come with a toxic load of mercury in every one. Please note that broken fluorescent tubes or bulbs can emit a mercury containing toxic powder and formally all fluorescent lamps must be either recycled at the Council depot or disposed of in a hazardous waste dump, with terrible consequences for the environment.
However examples of clean, highly efficient new Light Emitting Diode (LED) light technology are easily found and can be seen in ‘View Lights’ –LED Down lights and ‘Bright Green’ D900 Cube and other super efficient LED lamps and fittings (listed on Ecospecifier.com.au). View Lights are an energy efficient LED down light, and perfectly suited for residential applications.
Consuming significantly less energy than halogen or incandescent lighting, LED lighting contains no mercury and also produces significantly less heat than comparable lighting systems to have an overall efficient green lighting scheme for any home.
Current third generation LED Lighting has come far from earlier LED technology – that meant consumers once had to choose between an effective light and a ‘green’ light. Fortunately, this is no longer the case if you choose wisely. Choosing green no longer results in low quality lighting and indeed brings many benefits. There is really no excuse to delay any longer and converting to these wiser and greener choices. They are a little more expensive, but the energy pay back is worth is, as they last 50 -100 times longer than any other form of bulb (50-100,000 hours).
Explore more about the product ranges that have been eco-certified and listed by Ecospecifier, by using the Product Search Engine on Ecospecifier Global: http://www.ecospecifier.com.au
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