- Energy saving light bulbs are the quickest,
easiest way to save money and energy. They convert most of the
energy in to light rather than heat, and last up to 10
times longer than ordinary bulbs. Using one can save you
around £40 over the bulb's lifetime.
- Dimmer switches can also help you save
electricity in the home, but if you're using CFL or LED lamps, make
sure they are compatible with dimming features.
- Consider task-based lighting. For example,
when working on the computer at night, you don't need to have the
whole room bathed in light, just the computer desk area; so use an
LED lamp that draws only one watt.
- For outdoors, consider solar powered garden
lamps. These usually require no wiring as they have
internal rechargeable batteries and will switch on automatically at
dusk and switch off at dawn. For security lighting, use sensor
lights that will only switch on when someone approaches.
- A responsible approach to exterior lighting not only saves
electricity but also reduces light pollution.
Light pollution is an under-rated environmental problem. Some
environmental impacts of light pollution include:
- Some nocturnal birds use the moon and stars for navigation
during migrations. They can become disoriented when flying through
brightly-lit areas.
- Female sea turtles shy away from areas with bright lights,
which interrupts their nesting patterns. Newly hatched turtles are
also drawn to lights, so instead of heading to the ocean, they
often head inland instead.
- Other reptiles and mammals are believed to suffer from bright
lights in relation to feeding and mating habits.
- Over-illumination is a serious problem, accounting for
somewhere in the region of two million barrels of oil per day in
energy wasted in the USA alone.
What you can do:
- Light only where needed
- Don't over-light
- Don't waste light
- Shine light downwards, using shields and reflectors
- Light only when needed - use sensors where possible
- Light with energy efficient sources such as LED's and compact
fluorescents.
There's not just the environmental aspect - by reducing lighting
you'll also save a lot of cash.
- One excellent way of reducing light pollution is by investing
in some blackout curtains (usually costing around
£20.00). Blackout curtains aren't only for blocking light.
33% of home heating and cooling energy loss occurs via
windows. Blackout curtains can help insulate houses,
saving you money in heating and cooling, and the energy savings
help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy
production. They are often deemed to reduce thermal loss by 25%.
Additionally, they last longer than normal curtains.