Green Living Tip: Green Lighting

As leaves fall, temperatures drop and days become shorter and shorter, we try to prolong our days by artificial lighting. It is proven, that light can make a big impact on how we feel, but it is also important to remember that the way we illuminate our spaces can also make a big impact on the environment. So to make your life brighter and greener, follow these tips:

• Replace all incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs (compact fluorescent lights CFLs). CFLs cost a bit more than an incandescent, but use about a quarter as much energy and last many times longer (usually around 10,000 hours). It is estimated that a CFL pays for its higher price after about 500 hours of use. After that, it’s money in your pocket.
• If you are worried that your rooms will be lit like stuffy offices if you use compact florescent bulbs, we chose the proper light fixtures that allow the warm textiles of the shades to serve as filters, giving the rooms a more natural looking light palette. Select lamp shades with gold hued linings and loosely woven materials for your overhead hanging fixtures and you will be a lot happier about the light in your life.
• Having eco-friendly lamps and light fixtures is essential to greening your lighting. When buying new fixtures, choose lamps made with natural, recycled, or reused materials. Lights made from recycled materials include metal, glass, or plastic, and natural materials can include felt, cloth or wood.
• Install light sensors that monitor whether or not someone is in the room so that lights turn off automatically when room is not in use. More sophisticated light monitors also can be installed that analyze the amount of daylight in a room and turn on or off accordingly.
• Fluorescents last a long time, However when they are dead, they have to be properly disposed of. CFLs, like all florescent bulbs, do contain a small amount of mercury, which means they definitely can’t be thrown in the trash.

And the best tip of all – enjoy the daylight! Get outdoors, soak up the colors of fall, just don’t forget to switch of the lights before leaving your house.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User James Jordan