Why LED Lighting is Green

What’s Green? It is environmental friendly and humanity.
Green initiatives are certainly worthwhile given the positive impact on the environment, and LED lighting is one green technology that can also save companies and individuals money.

Environmental issues are not typically associated with maximizing the profits of big business. With the advent of LED-based solid-state lighting (SSL), however, companies and individuals can slash greenhouse-gas emissions while positively impacting the financial bottom line. Indeed, while LED lighting costs more than other technologies, savings in energy and maintenance costs more than cover the upfront premium. And with LED lighting dropping in price, SSL becomes more of a bargain every day.

What is supposedly green? Environmentally-friendly CFLs contain mercury, even a small amount. If CFLs not handled or disposed of properly, it can leach deadly compounds into the air and water supply, as well as contaminating landfills. A fact sheet about CFLs notes that, “Exposure to mercury, a toxic metal, can affect our brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver, causing symptoms such as trembling hands, memory loss, and difficulty moving.” It goes on to add that, “Mercury is released into our environment when products with mercury are broken, disposed of improperly, or incinerated. If you break a CFL, clean it up safely.”

Conversely, LED lighting is poised to deliver on energy savings with a positive environmental impact. With LEDs, reduce costs in businesses and not have to be concerned about proper disposal because the lights can be recycled. What’s more, installation of LEDs leads to less pollution and a lower carbon emission. LEDs are good for the environment and human.

Given the incredibly useful life of LEDs, recycling won’t happen very often. With a minimum life of 50,000 hours, LEDs last five times longer than their nearest competitors. When compared with incandescent lamps (average life of 2,000 hours) the disparity is even more remarkable. Given their solid-state circuitry, LEDs are very durable.

One of the major advantages of LEDs is that they can be placed in hard-to-reach locations that are sometimes accessible only with special lifts or scaffolding. Once in place, it will be years before these lights will need to be changed. Often, businesses wait until the number of burned-out light bulbs reaches critical mass before making replacements. And then, usually, all of the bulbs, including those that are still working, are replaced at the same time. The life span aspect of LEDs can save businesses thousands of dollars in maintenance costs, not to mention reduce electricity bill.