New Energy Saving Light Bulb Disposal Unit Helps Cut Toxic Waste

After years of research and development perfecting the technology behind energy saving light bulbs, fluorescent and incandescent bulbs are also getting a Mother Earth makeover thanks to a new machine recently unveiled in the United States.

Known as the Bulb Eater, the machine created by Innovative Technology and Environmental Solutions Inc, chomps up incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent tubes such as the ones commonly found in kitchens. It crushes the glass part of the bulb and contains the chemical content such as mercury encased within the bulb itself.

Fashioned out of a steel drum with interconnecting tubes and vessels, the simplistic appearance of the Bulb Eater belies its clever function. Around 60% of home owners throw their CFL bulbs in to their green rubbish bin along with other non-recyclable household waste according to a recent survey. Although these types of light bulbs contain only a tiny amount of mercury, incorrect disposal – in this instance throwing out with regular rubbish – means that mercury ends up in landfill and can leak out into the environment. Even with the small amount contained per bulb, having more the one in two households get rid of bulbs in this way means the quantity can soon mount up.

Although only a handful of the Bulb Eater machines are currently in existence (some in the US and one in the Philippines), they promise to make the humble light bulb even more environmentally friendly if rolled out on a larger scale.

Fashioned out of a steel drum with a series of interconnecting pipes and shoots, the user simply feeds the bulb to be disposed of into the Bulb Eater. It works by breaking down the bulb into smaller components such as shards of glass. The mercury and phosphorous chemicals contained within the device are separated within the Bulb Eater using two filters, preventing them from being released into the environment. Each single Bulb Eater can store 1 tonne of mercury, or 10,000 bulbs.

While you may not currently be able to recycle with the Bulb Eater if you live outside of the United States, you can do your bit by correctly sorting used light bulbs from regular waste. Ensuring you replace the incandescent bulb with an energy saving lightbulb will also contribute to a greener planet. To browse a full range of energy saving bulbs, visit http://www.bltdirect.com

Brighter LED Light Bulbs Better For Kitchens

The old saying goes that the kitchen is the heart of the home but, until now it has been difficult to find lighting that reflects this cosy image. Many home owners will agree that finding just the right kind of light for a busy kitchen – and hub of the household- can be quite a task. LED bulbs have had a reputation for casting out an almost clinical blue light, which is fine when you need clear visibility for cooking and cleaning but can make actually eating and entertaining guests in the kitchen less practical.

The good news for those who have lots of summer parties planned and a full social calendar of BBQs and dinner parties to look forward to is that LED light bulbs have undergone something of a makeover. Brands like Philips have used new technology and ‘tuneable lights’ that are whiter than their bluish predecessors, making them a perfect match for kitchen lighting requirements. These same bulbs also work well in a bathroom or cloakroom, where white lighting can give a clean and fresh feel.

LED bulbs have increased in popularity in recent years as they have established a reputation as an energy saving light bulb. With this burgeoning demand, a range of LED lighting solutions can be mixed and matched to create the perfect kitchen lighting set up. BLT Direct, the energy saving lightbulb specialist stock hundreds of different styles of LED bulb. They have reported an increase in clients wishing to install LED bulbs and tubes in their kitchens, replacing traditional incandescent, energy-eating lights.

Gary Baker from the firm said, “We have certainly witnessed an increase in demand for products like LED fluorescent tubes and LED downlighters. Downlighters in particular are very popular with homeowners as they are available in a range of light colours giving real freedom to be creative and create a mood that befits the environment – choices of daylight and warm light for example were not possible a few years ago but now make ideal kitchen and bathroom lighting installations.”

LED light bulbs have a very long life which makes them an attractive and practical prospect for difficult to reach places. They also offer as much as a 90% saving on running costs compared with incandescent lightbulb alternatives, making them a cost effective solution in busy areas such as the kitchen were lights will be on for long periods.

To find out more about LED light bulbs and to buy online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com

Brighter LED Light Bulbs Become a Reality

A lightbulb manufacturer has released the first ever LED light bulb capable of lighting a room to the same output as a traditional 75W incandescent bulb. Philips have launched the energy saving light bulb this month in the United States, giving hope to those who have a need for LED light bulbs but want brighter light sources in their homes or workspaces than those associated with LED technology.

Proponents of energy saving light bulbs have long touted the benefits of Light Emitting Diode bulbs which use significantly less energy that old style light bulbs, which are widely regarded as being massively inefficient from an environmental perspective, using almost 100% of the energy they receive to generate heat rather than light.

By contrast, the new 75W equivalent energy saving LED light bulb launched by Philips is claimed to last 25 times longer than its incandescent counterpart and use 80% less energy during its lifetime. These savings add up to economical and environmental benefits with cheaper energy bills and longer periods between replacement attractive incentives for home owners and business purchase managers alike.

LED light bulbs have been regarded as an energy saving favourite for some time now as they can be used in a variety of locations and situations. However, until the launch of the EnduraLED A21, wattage was somewhat limited which meant the energy savings had to be weighed against the fact the light output was dimmer than some alternative energy saving bulbs such as compact fluorescent lamps and even halogen bulbs. Popular models such as the GU10 are already available in a range of wattages, with the GU10 13/14 watt light bulb an existing alternative to a 75W traditional bulb.

To find out more about energy saving light bulbs and buy online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com

Has your workplace switched on to the benefits of energy saving light bulbs?

An increasing number of public places, museums and other buildings around Britain are switching on to the benefits of energy saving lightbulbs. Many are retiring their inefficient and out-dated lighting solutions in favour of those that save vast amounts of money in addition to slashing CO2 emissions – and the results are everywhere, for all to see.

Still not convinced? Take the example of Torre Abbey in Torquay. Torquay Council worked alongside staff at the abbey and an external company to replace the old style bulbs used in the all-night floodlighting (which illuminates a public footpath) with long-lasting energy efficient diode lamps. These energy saving lamps require less maintenance and provide clearer light than the previous orange sodium lighting. Even the abbey itself saw hundreds of its incandescent light bulbs replaced with LEDS, leading to a 22.5% reduction in electricity use for the council, resulting in a saving of 22,300kg of CO2 emissions and £3,346 each year.

Another much-visited public facility to benefit from energy saving lightbulbs recently was Wanstead Museum in the London borough of Wanstead, which replaced its own light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs, working alongside the Green Tourist Business Scheme to make the museum more sustainable whilst also promoting a green agenda to the wider community.

Then there’s the example of Bristol City Council, which recently announced a four year plan to convert its presently sodium street lights to use energy-efficient white bulbs instead. Expected savings for the first full year in operation are £338,000, whilst the authority has also estimated that it will save more than 4,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year – drastically cutting Bristol’s carbon footprint.

The cost and environmental advantages of energy saving lightbulbs

It hardly needs emphasising that in such a tough economic climate, many businesses are seeking ways of cutting costs, particularly when it comes to energy use. By investing in energy saving lightbulbs and other measures to cut electricity costs it is possible to slash up to to 30% from running costs.

To find out more, visit http://www.bltdirect.com.

More Style Conscious Energy Saving Lightbulbs On The Way…

If you've been putting off the switch to energy saving light bulbs for style reasons, a new push to create more eye-catching, interior friendly lamps that are also kind to the environment may have you rushing to make a change.

We all know the many benefits of energy efficient light bulbs, from helping to lessen our energy consumption and hence, our presently immense dependence on our planet's finite resources, to considerably slashing the energy costs of our homes or businesses. Nonetheless, you may be reluctant to invest in energy saving lamps if the only examples that are out there to buy are badly lacking in the style to which we have all become accustomed.

Thankfully, help is at hand. That's because a wide range of energy efficient light bulbs are now emerging that are more pleasing to the eye. Take the example of GE Lighting. The company has responded to the common complaint of many customers of fluorescent bulbs that their appearance can leave a room feeling colder and more industrial than is the case with conventional lights – namely, by perfecting the technology to create bulbs that don’t have quite as artificial an appearance.

The work of companies such as GE is demonstrating that it’s becoming increasingly unnecessary to forgo aesthetics in favour of environmental friendliness. Indeed, the energy saving lightbulbs that GE has developed are far from mere stylish substitutes for the 'real deal'. Nonetheless, it’s also true that the occasional energy saving bulb used at home isn’t going to do too much to prevent larger scale damage to the environment. It is for this reason that so many business owners, lighting designers and architects are joining forces on larger-scale projects in which these cutting-edge electrical and lighting technologies can be implemented.

Some of the technologies that GE has been working on are still in development, whilst others are available right now. Indeed, not only are energy saving light bulbs set to become more stylish in the coming years, but so are the lighting management technologies that are associated with them. In the development of one new system of highly efficient fluorescent bulbs, for example, GE has incorporated an automatic photo sensor that detects the amount of natural light in a room and alters the light level accordingly.

LED light bulb technology has also progressed in recent years, with such firms helping large corporations like WalMart (owners of ASDA supermarkets) with the integration of Fluorescent and LED lightbulbs. If there’s one thing that is for sure, it’s that energy saving light bulbs have truly developed their sense of style in recent years – and are set to become more stylish still.

To browse a wide range of energy saving light bulbs, find out more about energy savings and to purchase online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com.

Could you save money on your energy saving light bulbs as a result of the government’s new ‘collective shopping’ initiative?

Those who are looking for the cheapest energy saving lightbulbs have been awarded with a boon with the news that a new government initiative has been announced that allows people to do exactly that – by clubbing together with their neighbours for better deals.

The so-called ‘collective shopping’ measure is just one of several announced by consumer minister Ed Davey as part of the Better Choices, Better Deals initiative. Although the scheme will be piloted later this year with a focus on helping people to save money on energy saving products such as light bulbs, the measure is designed to eventually save the consumer money on a wider range of products.

Mr Davey said that the measure would hand more power to consumers, saying that individuals could save money on such products as light bulbs by harnessing “the power of the crowd”. The government has said that if the pilot is successful, it will expand the scheme, and as part of that process will aim to recruit 5,000 community organisers to help to arrange collective-buying deals in their local areas.

One of the proposed manifestations that such a deal could take is signing up as a group with an intermediary organisation or business. This organisation would then transfer the households ‘en masse’ between energy tariffs so that they were always assured of being on the best one.

Other ways of saving money on your energy costs

The collective buying scheme was far from the only one in the government initiative to be of interest to those looking for cheap LED lightbulbs. That’s because the government also announced the “mydata” scheme, to which more than twenty big companies – including energy suppliers and retailers – have thus far signed up.

The scheme is designed to give the customer more information on how they spend their money, which they could then analyse, hopefully discovering ways of saving even more money as a result. It raises the prospect that if you are dissatisfied with the amount of money that you are presently spending on your energy costs, you could access independent advice on which suppliers are offering the best alternative deals for your individual needs.

What else can I do to save money on energy saving lightbulbs?

If you can’t wait for the measures of the Better Choices, Better Deals initiative to reach your community, bear in mind that there is still plenty that you can do to save money on your lighting.

Energy saving lighting is far from merely an environmentally friendly gesture, as it also allows you to save money on your energy costs, meaning that it makes plenty of sense to install your lighting in as many different places as possible in your home, including both the exterior and the interior – in the case of the former, just keep an eye out for energy saving garden lighting.

To browse a comprehensive range of energy saving lightbulbs, discover more about energy savings and to buy online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com.

UK City Transforms Dilapidated House Into Stylish Sustainable Home With Energy Saving Light Bulbs

If you were in any doubt as to the effectiveness of energy saving light bulbs, a visit to Portsmouth may be in order. A local council there has stepped up its campaign to increase awareness of the benefits of energy saving light bulbs and other energy saving methods with a unique project now open for visitors.

Portsmouth City Council have retrofitted an early 20^th century property, transforming the old, energy hungry building into an oasis of eco-chic living. In what is thought to be the first of its kind, the Southsea council house has been renovated for complete energy efficiency with a team of builders tasked with making the old house a modern, eco-friendly family home.

Using energy saving light bulbs as a starting point, the house is a lesson in saving money on energy bills with energy efficient lighting, heating controls, low flow taps, dry lining and an energy efficient boiler just a few of the systems installed. Dubbed the ‘eco-terrace’ the house will throw open its doors to visitors throughout April. The once dilapidated house will then be given to a local family to enjoy. It is estimated that the measures will help the new residents to save around £400 on annual energy bills compared with neighbours. To prove the effectiveness of the sustainable measures put in place, residents on the street will show their own energy bills for comparison.

While renovating your house from top to bottom to create a chic, sustainable home is probably a bit out of budget, adapting some of the measures used by Portsmouth City Council is a great place to start. Even the simple act of removing old light bulbs and replacing them with energy saving bulbs such as the GU10 can knock pounds of your electricity bill. And with the savings you’ll make from energy efficient lighting, you can start to save up for other bill busting measures.

Energy saving lighting doesn’t have to be restricted to the interior of your home – you can ramp up savings and reduce your carbon footprint by searching for energy saving garden lighting as well.

To browse a full range of energy saving light bulbs, learn more about energy savings and to buy online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com.