We are using a electric light bulb over a century, right? And that’s meant a recurring purchase: light bulbs. But if you’re still using incandescent bulbs in your home, it’s time for an upgrade.
Today there are new, more energy efficient options. And even if you don’t care about your energy consumption, you’ll want to know this: these new light bulbs can save you money in two ways.
- First, their minimized electricity usage means you get lower utility bills.
- Secondly, they last longer so you’re not shelling out for new bulbs nearly as frequently.
Think a few bulbs here and there aren’t that big of a deal? Think again. ENERGY STAR reports that the average household has 50 (count ’em,50!) light bulbs. And all that lighting can use more energy than your refrigerator, dishwasher and washing machine put together.
The Future of Light Bulb
Why stop there? With its long history of innovation, now that the light bulb has solved its energy use problem, it’s onto bigger and better things.
Today, you can get voice-activated bulbs that your digital assistant (e.g., Alexa, Google Home) can turn on and off for you. No more getting out of bed to turn off the light at night. If that’s not luxury, we don’t know what is.
There’s more, too. You can get LEDs that change colors with a few presses of a button. Mood lighting, anyone? When it comes to choosing the perfect light bulb for your home and your wallet, you’ve got options.
Steer clear of those pesky incandescent, look for an energy star logo and you’ll pull in some savings while doing your part for the environment.
So, you get the ideas about which light bulbs to use, you can start working on the more fun part: choosing fixtures and placements for them.
You could even DIY if you’re feeling crafty. After all, you’ll have all those pocketed energy savings to spend on supplies. Let there be (energy efficient) light!