Green Energy: Lighting Solutions

In the past years people have become more concerned about the environment and have started to think and find ways to act in a more  ecologically-friendly manner. Green living has become the lifestyle of many people in the world and the number of supporters of the green flow grows significantly each year. The good news is that thinking green not only saves the nature, it saves you money as well. Lighting forms up to 10 per cent of the energy expenses of a standard household. This is a big number, having in mind how expensive life is. Considering some green energy methods for lighting can lead to very positive effects for both the environment and your budget. There are a few things you can take into account when considering lighting solutions. Here are the tips on how to welcome green energy to your home.

Replace Light Bulbs

There are many types of energy-saving light bulbs but these are the two major ones available on the market – fluorescent lamps and LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Fluorescent lamps are what households usually use. Replacing a traditional light bulb with a fluorescent one is a good option to save energy and money. LEDs make good replacements of dim lights. They are a bit more expensive but on the other hand they are more effective than fluorescent ones since in the long term they will save you more. In spite of the fact that LEDs have been in the spotlight for a long time and are still considered leaders, recently the focus has started to direct to organic light-emitting bulbs, also know as OLEDs. A regular light bulb needs about five times more energy than a OLED one, since a big part of the energy is not released as light. However, OLEDs are still pretty expensive but considering the fact that the life of a OLED bulb ranges between forty and sixty years – the investment is worth it. What makes OLED a great technology lighting solution is the fact that due to its organic matter, the display itself emits light without using any extra lighting resources. OLED is expected to create a revolutionary boom in technology and energy saving, giving unlimited opportunities.

Interesting Facts

There are many LED light sources that work with sunlight, accommodated by sun panels that can effectively operate a household. There is also a car sun panel that has been presented not long ago. It is placed on the top of a car where it collects sunlight. Its inner side functions as a lamp, which is transparent when turned off. At daytime the panel collects sunlight which lights the interior of the car at night.

Solutions

Except for replacing traditional energy-consuming light bulbs with energy-saving ones and also installing sun panels, there are other small tips you can follow in order to save energy and thus help the environment.

The life of a traditional light bulb depends on how often you turn on and off the light. This is not the case with LEDs which are not affected by the number of times the light is turned on or off. However, don’t forget to turn light off when not needing it. You can also purchase energy-saving light fixtures which distribute light much more efficiently and thus help saving energy. Dimmers and photocells are other good options to help you save electricity. Open your curtains and shades at home during the day to use sunlight as much as possible and not have to turn the light on.