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Thursday, July 2, 2009

Saving Funds Using Flourescents | Not Just A Dull Flicker Anymore

By Gary Greenman

FL lights no longer offer just a dim flicker. Yes they are the ecological alternative to normal light bulbs, but they can also be interesting and are a favourite of modern designers. So why are they a good environmental alternative, and what's so hip about them?

Any electrician can tell you that fluorescent lights have a tendency to last four to ten times as long as normal (filament) light bulbs and use around 20% of the power. The trouble with incandescent light bulbs is that 95% of the energy they use is lost through heat and merely 5% is in fact utilized to light up a room.

While fluorescent bulbs are more costly to buy at first, they will save you cash in the long run, usually paying for themselves in under a year. And they fit in nearly all existing light fixtures, so you won't even need an electrician to change your fixtures.

One more direct green advantage is that for the reason that the light bulbs last so much longer they make less waste for the garbage dump as less are being tossed away every year. And once you're fitting them and doing your part, you might even feel so green and ecologically conscious that you take your tasks further and turn lights off when they're not being used.

When you do want to throw away fluorescent light bulbs then endeavor and do so correctly. Contrasting normal light bulbs, they contain a small quantity of mercury which is greenly harmful if they are binned, so ask your local committee about recycling services for light bulbs and do your part to keep them out of the garbage dump.

Now for the fun bit! Fluorescent lights are wonderful if you want to create a colour wash on the wall or against draperies. They may be recessed so that the luminosity seems to come magically from a concealed source and if the light shines against a reflective surface, you can make a thoroughly spectacular effect. You can also talk to your electrician about installing more than one fluorescent tube so that you have a choice of colours at your fingertips.

Fluorescent lights of course occur in white but also four basic colours - red, yellow, green and blue. If not any of these go well with your plan, you may put a white light behind a coloured filter of your choice or even get coloured theatrical lighting gel which can be practical to the bulb to achieve the effect you're after. There are even companies that sell bulbs already coated, offering a range of colours if you can't face doing it yourself.

If you're putting together a lighting plan bear in mind that fl white light tends to look cool rather than warm. FL bulbs can be incorporated into a dimmer system when of course they turn out to be less bright, but they won't create a warm glow like a incandescent bulb. As well as being put onto dimmers your electrician could go one step further and incorporate them into a system of pre-set scenes to generate several mood options for your room.

The reality is that in 2007 the US Administration announced that incandescent light bulbs are to be barred by 2011, which ought to help save around 5 million tonnes of CO2 by US domestic users alone. So it makes sense to get ready now for this new era in lighting. Light bulbs in the US are now graded A-G for green effectiveness, so it's easy to pick ones that do less damage and that will save you money in the mid and long term. And it doesn't mean living in darkness - fluorescent lights have come a long way since their flickering early stages. - 16477

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