Living in the greater Seattle area, we are lucky to be part of a community that promotes citizens to partake in conservation activities. We were one of the first cities to ban plastic bags and mandate a charge for paper bags, in an effort to encourage the use of reusable bags. Our waste conservation efforts are some of the most progressive in the country, with the use of large recycling and food waste carts and the increased collection costs of landfill garbage, based on the size of your garbage can.
WITH ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?
There are many ways to make an impact on the size of your carbon footprint. Reusing, recycling and composting are some of the most common ways to help, but are you doing enough on the energy consumption side of your life? Using less energy = the utilities making less energy. The impact of your energy use can be significant depending on the type of energy you are using. From gas to electricity, it all takes a toll on the Earth, from harvesting to production to distribution. Following the path from your light switch to the power plant, to the coal that was harvested, to the energy used and the pollutants released to turn coal into electricity, can be a shocking reality. With limited resources and harmful waste during production, using less energy is a smart way to help the environment.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Turning off lights and other electronics when not in use is a great first start, but using more efficient products can have a greater impact. With Seattle’s long winter nights, switching to LED outdoor lights can result in a huge reduction in your energy use. Each light you switch to LED can offer you an energy use reduction of 85+% versus your previous lamp type. The savings adds up fast!
HOW CAN OUTDOOR LIGHTING PERSPECTIVES OF PUGET SOUND HELP YOU SAVE ENERGY?
If you have a previously installed outdoor lighting system, we can usually upgrade it to LED for a dramatic reduction in energy use. With the average 15 light system, you can be saving 255 Watts, which over the course of the year adds up to a much lower carbon footprint and electricity bill.
You don’t have an outdoor lighting system? I know it sounds counterintuitive to say adding lights will lower your energy use, but let me explain why that is.
Most homes have a light by the front door, a flood light over the driveway and an additional light at the back door. Most of these lights are standard incandescent or Halogen. Just one standard driveway light uses more energy than our entire 15 lamp system. So, switching to an LED outdoor lighting system and eliminating those standard lights is one big improvement. But there is more…
If you’re like me and want to keep your home illuminated for safety & security, you may turn these lights on every evening. You may leave them on all night long. And you may even leave them on all of the time.
Leaving that inefficient driveway light on 24/7 adds up to a large amount of wasted energy. With Outdoor Lighting of Puget Sound’s Lighting Control Automation System, you’ll achieve immeasurable energy savings as your lights are only going to be on when you need them to be. Our innovative Lighting Control Automation system takes into consideration the time you need your lights on, daylight savings time changes, sunset/sunrise adjustments, etc. So you really will never have to worry about adjusting a timer or turning your lights on or off.
If you’re interested in doing more to lower your effects on the environment while also beautifying your Seattle area home. Call today for a free nighttime lighting demonstration. (425) 414-8885
