To Reach the Global Lighting Goal we have to educate people about LEDs

Posted by: NSchepis // Student at Bridgewater State

The Global Lighting Challenge is a race to install 10 billion high-efficiency light bulbs and fixtures. The goal of the campaign is to reach a cumulative global sale of 10 billion high efficiency, high-quality, and affordable lighting products. Traditional incandescent bulbs produce too much heat and this excess heat equates to a lot of wasted energy. The Energy Department is working towards the goal of the challenge by enhancing and accelerating the adoption and use of efficient lighting alternatives. The department is also deploying public-private partnerships.

Store shelves and entire aisles are filled with these LED bulb, and we are seeing incandescent bulbs phased out by retailers. But just putting them on the shelf doesn’t quite get the job done. The transition to a completely high-efficiency lighting environment will take the cooperation of consumers. We need to educate people on the personal benefits of this product, because not everyone is sensitive to the environment. When a customer looks at an LED bulb in the store all they see is the hefty price tag that goes with it. They might think to themselves, why am I going to spend $60 on bulbs today when I can buy these fluorescent floodlights for $5 a piece? The truth of the matter is that LED bulbs are really worth the money. Aside from the environmental benefits, the bulbs can last between 11-17 years depending on how many hours they’re on. They’re shock resistant and they save you money on your electric bill. At 5 hours a day the LED bulb uses $2.42 of electricity every year, compared to an incandescent bulb, which uses $15.42 of electricity a year. The bulb practically pays for itself in a year.

The Global Lighting Challenge is open to everyone, Governments, companies, manufacturers, landlords, and individuals. To read more: http://www.globallightingchallenge.org