Lighting

This week since its as good as mid winter – shortest day on Tuesday next week, so I thought we’d talk lighting.

I read recently in the ‘Good Magazine’ which is a magazine dedicated to being more sustainable that recent research by the electricity commission showed that only 32% of people guessed the energy-efficient light correctly and 67% preferred the low energy bulb or had no preference so the argument that the light is worse is potentially a dead duck. The original eco-bulbs way back were definitely awful, but in the last 5 years they have come a long way and there are certainly no complaints in my house.

You can now buy modern eco-bulbs that give fantastic light, and look similar to the old bulbs. Yes they cost a bit more but boy do they last for AGES. At my house I would be changing the old style incandescent light bulbs all the time but in every socket that I now have an eco-bulb in, I have never had to replace them and for some of the bulbs that was 5 years ago in places used constantly like our kitchen!! And the power saving benefits are noticeable on your power bill too so the additional cost is more than recouped. Just check out the energy units you use – comparing the same month in the previous year to the current year when you have changed all the bulbs in your living area for example.

Remember though that as well as using them to conserve energy, in terms of environmental safety you need to be aware of clean up protocol in the event of a breakage and also disposal once the bulb has come to its use by date. It is important to follow through the whole cycle.

Because eco-bulbs contain a small amount of mercury you need to be aware of clean up procedures if they should break (see below) and also that they should not be disposed of with your household waste. Collect them up and next time you are going to your refuge transfer station take them to the Hazardous waste area for recycling of the mercury and correct disposal. In the interests of sustainability and environmental impact, make the trip to the transfer station worth it, store things that need to go up and make 1 trip, instead of making many small trips. In Auckland and Hawkes by there is a free mobile Hazards removal service that you can also use. Click here to read about the service in Napier.  No doubt this service will extend in the future to include other areas.

You can read more about these lamps on the Ministry for the Environment Website　

Have a great and sustainable weekend.