Lighting the key to energy saving

29 June 2006,

A global switch to efficient lighting systems would trim the world's electricity bill by nearly one-tenth.

That is the conclusion of a study from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which it says is the first global survey of lighting uses and costs.

The carbon dioxide emissions saved by such a switch would, it concludes, dwarf cuts so far achieved by adopting wind and solar power.

Better building regulations would boost uptake of efficient lighting, it says.

"Lighting is a major source of electricity consumption," said Paul Waide, a senior policy analyst with the IEA and one of the report's authors.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5128478.stm


One more simple thing we can do to make a difference and cut reduce our energy consumption.

on roadways. It seems to me that if one had a system that relied on solar power as a primary source, and only kicked into the grid when the solar lighting failed, we'd be hugely better off. Of course, the electric companies would miss their "cut" that they get from the taxpayers....

During Wilma, most of So Fl didn't have electric for almost a month. The ones they sell to use out in your yard are great. Stick them out in the sun during the day, then bring them in at night to light the inside of your house.

We have a generator, but it isn't a massive one, and that's a handy way to, say, light the path to the crapper!!

We don't lose power often, but when we do, it's a royal pain.

...and not heating, transportation, industrial manufacturing, industrial agriculture, and "defense" (which should properly be labelled "offense").

It's also great to know that we only need to cut energy consumption by 10% to solve all our problems.

This is a pointless article. Yes we should all use more efficient lightbulbs but let's actually use our news-space to address real fundamental problems, shall we?

OK hey...how about this solution? Instead of me and you having to rush out and buy all new lightbulbs, how about we start by demanding that all sporting events be played under direct sunlight or not at all? That would undoubtedly save some massive kw/hours without having the slightest negative drag on either our personal or national economy.

treadmills that generate electrical power -- the athlete that produces the most power over say a ten-hour interval of time wins. Kind of like the Tour de France without the pretty scenery.

In large parts of the world (i.e. the colder parts) energy "wasted" by incandescent lights also goes into heating the house. Thus, your furnace ought to come on less often. This wouldn't apply to hot climates, of course.

I still prefer incandescent around the house, as it seems the most like natural sunlight and easiest on the eyes.

Cheap fluorescent bulbs cast a harsh light that is best suited for offices and garages. There are plenty of companies making compact daylight fluorescents for home use that cast a more "natural" light. When people come into my house, most are surprised to find that it's all fluorescent.

We have one fixture that uses fluorescent (4 foot). Now that you mention it, the daylight spectrum is not too bad.

I have one reading lamp with a coiled fluorescent, or whatever it is called. I can't say it's a favorite.

One other problem with these is that a lot of fixtures don't really work with them. The "bulb" is a bit too big - stuff like that.

But I don't want to discourage anyone from doing the right thing. I don't own a car, and have a smaller house, so I feel like I can indulge myself a bit as far as energy usage goes. But every bit helps.

I converted it over two years ago (and haven't changed a bulb since). My outdoor lights are all LED Floods, I have LED's installed in my laundry room and other "low traffic" areas, and everything else has been switched to fluorescent.

My electric bill dropped by about a quarter that first month, and I never remember to turn off bulbs when I'm done. One of my neighbors with about 30 floods outside of his property (dairy) replaced his bulbs with LED floods and saw his electric bill drop by even more. I seriously don't understand why anyone still runs incandescents.