Messages from the Edge • Mid-June 2024

Where we are

To review, as your EcoDharma Doula, for the next nine months, I will provide you with a monthly contemplation on what is commonly called ‘Getting to Zero.’ Science tells us we have 25 years to reduce our emissions to Zero. We are looking at a carbon reduction diet, which begins by looking at the big picture. We wish to turn the right side to Zero by 2050 or:

(Lighting + Heating + Cooling + cooking + driving +refrigeration + embodied energy + heating water + utilities + gardening + vampire power) – (Clean Energy we Produce or Offset) = (Everything we Use)

To understand ‘where we are,’ conducting an Energy Audit is essential. This audit will help you identify the areas where you can make the most significant changes. Two key areas that may have appeared in your audit are the Building Envelope and Lighting. If neither appears in your audit, consider it a pass this month! Your audit is a great start, and I encourage you to keep up the excellent work!

Even if you rent, how you light your living space will reward you with lower utility bills.

It’s heartening to know that there are numerous low-cost and accessible energy practices that we can all implement. In the mid-months, I will delve into these ‘low-hanging fruits’, providing practical tips and insights. So, stay tuned and get ready to make a positive change!

So many options, so little time?

When I started this journey a decade ago, lights were heat-producing incandescent, and fluorescent lighting was buzzing loudly. Hatching chicken eggs typically involved heating the nursery with a low-wattage incandescent bulb. Unlike the incubator, the rest of the household bulbs provided wasted heat and, therefore, were also wasting energy as heat.

The lights are on. Is anybody at home?

LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Converting to their use can reduce your carbon footprint by 5%, considering that most utility energy is generated by burning coal or natural gas.

The first few months of our journey toward NetZero carbon are lovely in that we can talk about the lowest-hanging fruit: low or no-cost actions that can lower your demand. It turns out electricity is the cheapest when you don’t use it. This mid-month installment investigates the spectrum of LED lighting options available today.

Operating cost comparison

The average annual cost for LEDs in a home is $50 versus $400 for incandescent/fluorescent lights. LEDs also last considerably longer (10 times as long) because they provide light without electrical resistance and heat.

Let us take a common situation around the home: a 100W security light left on all night. Consider switching from a traditional 100-watt security light left on all night to a light-sensitive, motion-detecting LED replacement, which results in significant energy and cost savings. The motion-detecting LED light consumes substantially less energy, costing only $0.88 annually compared to $52.56 for the traditional light. Additionally, improved security, reduced light pollution, longer lifespan, and environmental friendliness make motion-detecting LED lights a superior choice for outdoor security lighting.

Dark Sky considerations

I live in Boulder, Colorado, and walking at night makes seeing the Big Dipper and Polaris, the North Star, difficult. This difficulty is due to increasing light pollution. Shield and point ambient outdoor light downward. Dark Sky International’s The Responsible Outdoor Lighting At Night (ROLAN) Manifesto (PDF)  provides ten principles for protecting views of our night sky.

There are obvious economic advantages to switching community lighting to LEDs, such as drastically lower operating costs and longer life. There are also community benefits of using ‘smart bulb’ technology for dusk-to-dawn, motion-sensitive lighting with control over the light temperature.

Plug and Play replacement.

We are at the point where it is possible, cross your fingers, to replace a burnt-out bulb with an LED version. This ability holds for incandescent and fluorescent lamp fixtures. You could replace the bulb in a simple world, but the world is no longer straightforward. LEDs now come in all specialty lighting situations: floor lamps, 3-way, chandeliers, appliances, bathroom vanities, cabinet lighting, and mood lighting. You have a good chance of finding an LED replacement when a bulb burns out.

As simple as it has become in most cases, there are some notable exceptions.

Exceptions

Halogen Lighting

Halogen bulbs have traditionally come in non-standard fixtures. They provide intense light with very high heat loss. Replacing the entire assembly is the easiest way to replace halogen lighting because the fixtures vary. If the lamp design is irreplaceable, you can convert it, though you may face some required assembly and disassembly.

Some previous-generation dimmer switches are incompatible with LED bulbs, even if they are dimmable. If this is the case, you will experience orange light, the inability to dim, and buzzing. Just to let you know, replacing the dimmer switch is your best option here.

LEDs are unsuitable for high-temperature uses.

LEDs use plastic in their assembly, so high-temperature applications like ovens, toaster ovens, and microwaves are best left to the manufacturers’ design choices. However, LEDs do very well in refrigerators and freezers when these bulbs burn out.

Dimmable or Non-dimmable

LED bulbs could be more forgiving about being dimmable. A non-dimmable bulb will not work in a dimmable fixture. A dimmable bulb will work in a non-dimmed fixture. So, when in doubt, you can always use a dimmable bulb as a replacement.

The symptoms you will see are flickering, buzzing, inability to dim properly, and premature bulb failure.

Color temperature

Like their incandescent predecessors, LEDs have light temperatures suitable for different light applications. We express this temperature in thousands of Kelvins.

Non-wire options

Combine recharging, motion detection, and dusk-to-dawn features to easily light areas that have traditionally been dark or require wiring. Adding solar charging in situations where daylight can charge gives you a set-it-and-forget-it scenario.

Under cabinet, cabinet, closet, task lighting

Under kitchen cabinets and inside lower cabinets (such as beneath the sink) have traditionally been so dark it is necessary to use a flashlight to find what you are looking for. But today, you can light these areas with rechargeable light and motion-sensitive adjustable light intensity models that attach using self-stick magnetic anchors. These generally require USB charging.

Solar charging outdoor lights – security and path lighting

You can now illuminate dark areas outdoors using solar or battery-powered, non-wire alternatives that are light and motion-sensitive. These generally are installed using screws since there is often substantial battery weight. The solar-powered fixtures are set up and forgotten.

Grow lights

I know that many of our community are horticulturally inclined. A few years ago, I wondered if food production might not be limited to the traditional growing season and if hydroponics and aquaculture might provide all-season relief. Of course, light is a limited resource in the dark seasons. This inquiry took me from household-scale to industrial-scale food production. It turns out that LED lighting, with its attractive cost of operation and minimal maintenance, helps make winter food production affordable and within mere mortals’ reach.

Summary

By adopting LED lighting solutions across various applications, you can benefit from improved energy efficiency, cost savings, enhanced light quality, and a reduced environmental footprint. Next to lowering the needless

It turns out that there is a bevy of low-cost, accessible energy practices that deserve recognition. I think in the coming mid-month offerings, we will tackle some of these:

Implementing these additional energy-saving practices can further enhance your home’s efficiency, complementing the benefits of managing phantom load and converting to efficient lighting. These steps are relatively easy to implement and can lead to substantial energy and cost savings over time. Look for mid-month offerings that remind us of some of the low-cost, big-impact items everyone can do.

“Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” ~ Teddy Roosevelt