FL lights no longer offer just a dull flicker. Yes they are the green alternative to normal light bulbs, but they can also be interesting and are a favourite of contemporary designers. So why are they a good green alternative, and what’s so cool about them?
Every electrician will tell you that fluorescent lights have a tendency to last four to ten times as long as normal (filament) light bulbs and use about 20% of the power. The trouble with incandescent light bulbs is that 95% of the energy they use is lost through heat and merely 5% is literally utilized to light up a room.
Despite the fact that fluorescent bulbs are more expensive to buy initially, they will save you cash in the long run, generally paying for themselves in under a year. And they fit in most existing light fixtures, so you won’t even call for an electrician to change your fittings.
One more direct green advantage is that for the reason that the light bulbs last so much longer they make less waste for the dump as fewer are being thrown away each year. And once you’re fitting them and doing your part, you could even feel so green and ecologically aware that you take your responsibilities further and turn lights off when they’re not being utilized.
When you do require to toss away fluorescent light bulbs at that time attempt and do so responsibly. Contrasting filament light bulbs, they contain a tiny quantity of mercury which is greenly harmful if they are binned, so ask your local board about recycling facilities for light bulbs and do your part to keep them out of the garbage dump.
Now for the fun part! FL lights are fantastic if you want to create a colour wash on the wall or against curtains. They can be recessed so that the luminosity seems to come magically from a concealed source and if the light shines against a reflective surface, you can create a thoroughly spectacular effect. You can also talk to your electrician about installing more than one fluorescent tube so that you have a choice of colours at your fingertips.
FL lights of course come in white but also four fundamental colours – red, yellow, green and blue. If not any of these go well with your plan, you could put a white light following a coloured filter of your choice or even get coloured theatrical lighting goo which can be applied to the bulb to attain the effect you’re after. There are even companies that advertise bulbs previously coated, offering a range of colours if you can’t face doing it yourself.
If you’re putting together a lighting design bear in mind that fluorescent white light tends to appear cool instead of than warm. Fluorescent bulbs can be integrated into a dimmer system when of course they become less bright, but they won’t produce a warm glow like a filament bulb. As well as being put onto dimmers your electrician could go one step further and incorporate them into a system of pre-set scenes to make numerous mood choices for your room.
The fact is that in 2007 the US Government announced that normal light bulbs are to be barred by 2011, which ought to help save around 5 million tonnes of CO2 by US domestic users alone. So it makes sense to get ready now for this new era in lighting. Light bulbs in the US are now graded A-G for environmental effectiveness, so it’s easy to pick ones that do less harm and that will save you cash in the mid and long term. And it doesn’t mean living in darkness – fluorescent lights have come a long way since their flickering beginnings.
