How To Go Green With Eco-Friendly Home Lighting
Home lighting choices not only help create a warm, safe, and functional living space; They also affect the environment. Replacing older lightbulbs, sockets and fixtures with new sustainable lighting alternatives is one simple thing you can do to save energy, reduce running costs and make your home greener. Follow these green home lighting tips to get started.
Switch to LED light bulbs and household appliances
Switching to LED light bulbs is a simple, sustainable upgrade for your home. ENERGY STAR qualified LED lighting products use at least 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. These energy-efficient lightbulbs cost more initially, but the higher price is offset by a longer lifespan and lower household electricity bills.
Due to the increasing popularity, more and more LED products are available to brighten up living spaces. From aesthetically pleasing recessed downlights in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways to under-cabinet niche lights, ceiling lights and Christmas lights, there are so many different functional and interior design options to choose from!
Manage home lighting with smart lighting solutions
Managing home lighting is an important part of maintaining a green lifestyle. Setting holiday and outdoor lights on timers is one way to reduce energy consumption and costs. Another obvious solution is to turn off all lights when you leave a room or when you are not using them.
You can also control indoor and outdoor lights more efficiently via smart home devices like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Install smart plugs to set timers or use voice commands on Alexa to turn different lights on and off. Motion activated LED outdoor spotlights with wireless intelligent control also provide eco-friendly outdoor security on your property.
Use outlet covers that double as night lights
Traditional night lights draw energy from a standard wall outlet and glow to help you or your children find their way around the house in the dark. Snap Power’s innovative outlet covers double as eco-friendly night lights! Easy to install, the soft guide lights illuminate a room without wires or batteries – energy-saving LED lights are housed in the cover. They are switched on and off via a built-in sensor and can last up to 25 years. Also, the outlet plugs can power other devices and come in multiple colors and configurations such as standard, three-pronged, and GFCI outlet covers.
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Take advantage of natural light and solar lighting options
Research shows that lighting affects emotions and a sense of well-being – with evidence showing people are more optimistic on sunny days. Sun exposure is also a vital source of vitamin D — and shorter, darker days can cause seasonal affective disorder. Therefore, harnessing sunlight whenever and wherever possible can help improve your mental state, and harnessing natural light saves energy too! Just open blinds and curtains to let the sun in during the day. When possible, you can also reduce energy consumption and improve the architectural design of your home with strategically placed skylights in the kitchen, living room, master bedroom, or other commonly used indoor areas.
Indoor and outdoor solar lamps and lanterns offer more eco-friendly portable lighting solutions as they harness the power of the sun to illuminate a space. A safer alternative to kerosene-powered lights, solar lights are especially handy for camping, hiking, or remote areas without electricity.
Enjoy sustainable security with solar powered outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting increases home security and enhances the attractiveness of the landscape. Outdoor LED lights save energy and, like indoor lights, use automated control. In comparison, solar powered landscape lights cost nothing to run – so they lower running costs. Outdoor solar lights typically work via a battery-powered solar panel that is mounted on a pole and charges itself when exposed to direct sunlight. Unfortunately, solar lights do not work in bad weather and involve higher installation costs. The good news is that over time, you’ll recoup those initial expenses through lower utility bills.
Overall, switching to sustainable lighting is an easy way to go green in your indoor and outdoor living spaces!