An Economical Way to Go Green
Descriptions: We all share this planet, and if you are looking for an efficient way to do your part while also saving money, going green by swapping out your incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs is a quick and easy way to do it. Let us tell you how it all works.
We are deep in the green revolution. This movement has dedicated itself to undoing decades of deforestation, refuse collection and a general sense of apathy that has plagued our world. Large companies have polluted the soil and the water for too long while individuals litter with reckless abandon, all out of laziness and greed.
We are well beyond the tipping point, but there is hope. Many companies have dedicated themselves, their people, and the majority of their resources to changing the dynamic to restore the earth and make it habitable for generations to come. Bamboo instead of trees for paper, electric vehicles, and of course, the simple LED light are at the forefront.
The Path to a Carbon Neutral Life
The term carbon neutral was coined after it was determined without a single doubt that humans, who are carbon-based, are the cause of everything that is wrong with this planet. And only humans can fix it. More and more people have recognized the problem and have decided to be part of the solution. LED lights and lamps have made a significant impact in this regard.
The LED, or light-emitting diode, is nothing more than a semiconductor that glows when current is passed through it. That is it. Just a part of a circuit board, made into an efficient, cool, and very cost-effective light source. And now, an LED light can be incorporated into televisions, signage, and of course, lighting for the home or office.
They last exponentially longer than any other bulb, are less toxic when they do need to be disposed of and are cooler to the touch, which gives you another way to save money in cooling costs. And if you have ever built a circuit board with a few resistors, a nine-volt battery, and your best soldering iron, you know it doesn’t take much power to make them glow.
So, let’s go down the list so far:
- Less toxic
- Last a very long time
- Versatile
- Energy efficient
- Lowers cooling bills
- They come in plenty of colors
The Modern Look at Traditional Lighting
The two most common lights used in any business or residence that has not adopted the LED concept are incandescent and florescent. For companies and lights for kitchen spaces, fluorescent is popular because they last a while and the bulbs are cheap; plus, they are very easy to install. In the story of how lights work, florescent is a short one.
Fluorescent lights use a tube filled with a gas powder that, when a current is passed across it, super excites the powder, producing short-wave ultraviolet light causing the phosphor coating within the tube to glow. If you have had a headache at the office or school and wondered, “can lights cause headaches?” The imperceptible flicker of fluorescent light has been known to trigger migraines.
Incandescent, on the other hand, is a whole different animal. This goes back to the days of Edison and Tesla. An incandescent bulb is powered by a current running across a filament that looks like a tiny coil of spring. The coil gets very hot and emits light. These bulbs are scalding to the touch and burn a lot of power to light them.
Incandescent lights aren’t necessarily toxic when sent to the refuse bin, but they are an accumulative issue. Of all three types of bulbs, they last the least amount of time. So, they don’t toxify the earth, but they don’t help with the trash problem. This is one of the many reasons in the fight between LED lights versus incandescent, LED wins by knockout.
Fluorescent bulbs give headaches, incandescent bulbs get hot and last a short time, so what is the drawback of LED bulbs? LED isn’t perfect. But, by comparison, it is a much healthier alternative to its two contenders. The first problem is the cost. LED bulbs are significantly more expensive than the rest by a factor of up to 4 times.
For instance, LED efficiency is directly affected by the ambient temperature of a space. If the room is too hot or too cold, it loses its intensity, but not by a considerable margin. LED bulbs contain certain chemicals to enhance their glow, one of which is arsenic, a commonly known toxin, but not in sufficient amounts to be harmful, even if the light is broken.
The big issue, which can play into the question of which lights are good for eyes, is the blue light problem. The white light emitted by LEDs is caused by all of the colors shining at once, creating a white effect. But if the bulb begins to deteriorate, the blue light inside becomes more and more present and has been known to cause irreparable eye damage.
Even with all of that, the LED is still the better choice. Lights made the way LED’s are have less residual refuse byproducts. It doesn’t glow with incandescent intensity, making them the perfect lights for living room use. And changing one bulb to an LED light can be a significant factor in your power consumption.
Conclusion
So, what do you choose? For the home, for your power bill, for those moments when lights are low and you are relaxing, do you want a flicker that will give you a headache, a heating element that warms to space around it, or a light that makes you feel like you are doing your part to save the earth? Try them all and decide. It is a very personal choice. Have we inspired you to add some LED bulbs into your life?
Bio:
Archie was a builder for more than 40 years. Mainly after his retirement the enthusiastic electrical works in garden and writes for a blog Homemakerguide.com to keep himself occupied. His many years of experience can get you the right tool reviews whether it is a drill, welding machine or so. An impressive fact to note about him is that almost everything in his house is a representation of his skills made by his hands.
Sources:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-art-awakening-black-and-white-220210/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-a-woman-standing-on-a-pile-of-garbage-near-trees-2583835/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-standing-near-wall-2422257/
By Archie Adams