Bright ideas for a better future

In the eighties, many of us got onboard the recycling train. We began diverting household cans and bottles away from our city’s landfills to be repurposed and given new life. Sure, it involved a bit more thought and some extra rinsing, but over time, recycling has become second nature.

But what if we were to tell you that there is another, rather simple change we could all make that would contribute to a brighter environmental future?

You may be surprised to learn that LED (light-emitting diode) technology has actually been around for more than 50 years. It is only in the last decade that solutions to earlier cost and efficiency barriers have materialized, resulting in new and improved products hitting the market.

Thanks to these advances, there has never been a better time to switch out your old bulbs for a much better alternative, and here’s why: Although there is still a slightly higher upfront investment required with LED lighting, an improved product life span, lower maintenance costs and better energy consumption rates all add up to dollars saved in the long term.

If money doesn’t motivate you to make the change, then perhaps environmental stewardship will. It’s fairly simple. If light bulbs are being changed less frequently, there will be less packaging, manufacturing and distribution required. That means a decrease in emissions from big factories churning out inferior technology, fewer trucks on the road and not as many ships in the sea.

LED lighting is also mercury free; when the bulbs finally do burn out, disposal is much less tricky than with traditional compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and incandescent offerings. That’s good news for our health, as well as the continued protection of plant and animal life and, of course, our precious soil and water systems.

If you are still on the fence, we’d like to encourage you to think about your time. We know you have far more important things to do than teeter on a ladder or chair with your arms in the air. Many LEDs last up to 50,000 hours, meaning you will get to spend more time doing the things you love. And maybe that is the best news of all!