Environmental Awareness Starts with Lighting
The fact that going green has become a trend is a double-edged sword – while it plays a major role in promoting environmental awareness, fads always seem a bit exaggerated.
Trend or not, everyone knows that green activists are right – we are polluting our planet, and even if there is no need to panic just yet (and there is), certain measures should be taken.
The best stepping stone towards eco-friendliness is lighting, as this aspect of environmental consciousness is a perfect combination of financially smart solutions and ease of use.
Image source: IBM Big Data Hub
LEDs – the smart way to go
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for an entire decade, you are well-aware of this technology; everybody’s talking about it and you can see an increasing number of LED lights being installed in public areas.
The question: are they really that good? The answer: yes! If you’re wondering why there are three main reasons:
- They require much less energy than the regular fixtures; they reduce energy consumption by staggering 80-90%
- Although a bit more expensive, they last longer than the regular bulbs and therefore pay off in the long run
- They provide lighting that is as close to the natural light as possible
CFLs – the alternative
Compact fluorescent light bulbs or CFLs are an awesome solution for those who aren’t prepared to invest in LED lights. Although they are less efficient and weaker in terms of lighting quality, CFL lights cost less than the LED alternative, still manage to spend less energy, while lasting as much as 10,000 hours.
Much like the LEDs, CFLs are a great solution in the long run – they start to pay off after mere 500 hours of use while being capable of lasting 20 times as much.
Sometimes these fixtures can be hard to install so you might have to rely on professional help. In that case, make sure you have a phone number of a reliable electrician in Sydney.
Be aware of the materials involved
Most modern objects are either completely or partly made out of diminishing natural resources and/or involving processes that pollute our planet. Buying “dirty” products mean supporting immoral manufacturers, which is why you should make sure that the items you buy are made out of either recycled materials, like plastic, metal or glass or of natural materials such as cloth, felt or wood.
Know how and where to dispose of used fixtures
On the other hand, properly disposing of lighting fixtures is equally important as making sure that they are made out of recycled/natural materials. Australia is a shining example of eco-friendly lighting ideas. For example, the city of Sydney has started a LED lighting project that has the goal of making the entire city sustainable by the year 2030.
On the other hand, no matter how sustainable this gorgeous city might become, properly disposing of sustainable fixtures (that still may contain mercury) is just as vital as using them. Every reliable electrician has useful information regarding proper methods of disposal.
Make the most out of daylight
Finally, let’s talk about the type of lighting that is best for our planet. Sure, the Earth can take quite a pounding but why test the limits? Relying on sunlight is the eco-friendliest solution. While using lights is unavoidable during nighttime, having to turn the fixtures on during the day is just irresponsible, even on cloudy days.
Of course, if your windows are not on the sunny side, this might be a problem. Luckily, skylights are a fantastic solution here. Opting for LEDs or CFLs is only half of the journey towards increasing lighting awareness.
You also have to put many other factors into consideration, such as the materials, means of disposal and making the most out of sunlight. Going green with your lights is, simply-put, smart in every conceivable way.