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Although often taken for granted, lighting is one of the most powerful artificial tools that we possess. If you’ve ever fallen victim to a post-sunset power cut, you’ll probably understand just how much we have come to rely on man-made illumination. The problem however is that traditional incandescent bulbs have been wasting our money and energy for a good number of years. Whilst they do undoubtedly provide exactly what we need, when we need it at the flick of a switch, rising utility bills can leave even the wealthiest of people with a confused face and a slight sigh. With that being said, there are of course alternatives that in the long run can be just as effective as well as being easier on your pocket as well as your energy consumption. Candles The first thing that probably pops into your head is candles, in fact you might have a stash of unused wax torches just sitting around doing nothing. There’s a massive selection of candles including the long candelabrum variety if you’re of the classical persuasion and literally thousands of different scented ones if you like the idea of your home smelling of cinnamon, apples or even Elton John’s garden. Of course the downside of candles is that although they may be almost cost-free to run and aesthetically and fragrantly pleasing, you won’t get anywhere near the same levels of light that you’d get with a bulb. Solar Lights Solar lights might be commonly associated with outdoor lighting but that’s not to say that they don’t make for great indoor illumination in the right situation. As you’d probably expect, they have a light sensor which when not being fed illumination will cause the lamp to shine meaning that there’s no need for plugs or electrics (apart from the internal wiring). They are perhaps more suited for use with smaller spaces as unless you’re truly invested in the power of these lamps, products suitable for lighting larger spaces may cost you a fair bit of money before you start saving. LED Bulbs The principal feature of incandescent lamps is their ability to light an entire room and many alternatives can’t match them in terms of ranges – especially when being used indoors. A simple switch to LED bulbs though can offer instant benefits over the traditional options. Using almost all of the energy that is produced as well as working with much less effort, LED lighting has been touted by many as the “lighting of the future”. LED lighting may cost a bit more initially but the bulbs tend to last for much longer and as they use less energy, you will be saving money almost instantly. Plastic Bottles Somewhere on the border between genius and strange, a Brazilian mechanic has managed to find a way to use old plastic bottles to provide light. Alfredo Moser filled bottles with water and a little bleach and placed them in carefully crafted holes in the roof which refracts natural light and illuminates rooms. It’s predicted that this method provides between 40 and 60W of light. The Moser light has been transforming the lives of people living in poverty since 2002 and continues to do so today. You probably won’t be installing them but it is a revolutionary breakthrough to say the least. The End of Incandescent Bulbs With plans in place to phase out all energy wasting lamps by 2018, there’s no time like the present to take control of your lighting arrangements. The most obvious way to do this is of course LED lighting, saving money and energy, but you’ll have a few tricks up your sleeve if you ever need them.
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lighting, lights, outdoor lights, outdoor lighting,
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