GREEN LIGHTING

CFL - LED - What's a girl to do?

It's a pretty confusing world out there with the rapidly changing techonology in lighting.

We've just begun to get used to the idea of CFL's and now LED's are making the news. See this article and some of the newest LED designs:http://www.dwell.com/articles/shine-on-you-crazy-diode.html

You'll notice that all of the designs shown on the Dwell site are VERY contemporary. Right now that is all that seems to be available. (As soon as Frederick Cooper and Chapman show LED designs in a traditional lamp, I will be sure to post it on this blog!) But even if you are not a contemporary lighting fan, it doesn't hurt to be learning about the new technology.

Two years ago, the choices in CFL's were very limited, and the results in residential applications left a lot to be desired. But now there are numerous options in the CFL camp, including bulb shapes, color temperature, and dimmable CFL's. The quality of the bulb is very important. (CFL's manufactured in the USA are usually superior to offshore sources.)

Last fall I attended an ASID Continuing Education course on Energy Efficient Residential Lighting, and I am still studying and absorbing all the facts. The bottom line is that you can save money by using CFL's in almost every place that you use an old technology lamp, AND MOST IMPORTANT, you can probably find a CFL that is just as pleasing to you as your old type A bulb. But it takes a little research, experimenting, and maybe even some math!!

Regarding the LED's - at the time I took the Continuing Ed course, the word on LED was that even though there is information being printed on the new Dept of Energy Label (http://www.ledinside.com/DOE_announces_Lighting_Facts_Label_2010), when you get to the color temperature (degrees Kelvin), it is not easy to completely pin this down, since the RGB deteriorates differently over time, so the color of the light WILL CHANGE. This means that you can pay a huge amount for a long lasting LED, but that the color of that LED may change over the life of the bulb. So today, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. (But that could be different tomorrow!!)

GREEN is a Mind Set

Remember the SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON TREE HOUSE?

That was the ultimate "green" living. Here is someone's contemporary version that I pulled off the internet. Pretty cool, isn't it?

But it gets better! This beautiful example of green comes from Whole Trees Architecture in Wisconsin. This company uses whole trees because they are structurally more efficient than milled lumber. You can visit their website to read about how they incorporate this green practice in their building: http://www.wholetreesarchitecture.com/

I've had a "green" mindset for as far back as I can remember. Maybe I learned it from my English mom, who experienced food rationing in England during WWII. We were taught to waste nothing! There is always a use for things.

*************

When I was a teenager, I collected boxes - all kinds. I hated to throw away a good box. I had a special cabinet that I kept them in, and whenever anyone needed a container, I was the one they would ask. (I still collect boxes!)

****************

In college, Northwestern University had an auxiliary set of classes called "experimental college." I signed up to teach a "green" class (but it wasn't called green then). I called it "Junk Workshop," and I taught the attendees how to recycle things that would normally be thrown away. One of the projects was to take glass jars of different shapes, glue them together, and spray paint them to make tall candleholders! This was before recycling, obviously.

****************

When I was a jewelry designer in Chicago, shortly after college, the City of Chicago began to research glass recycling. They were looking for uses for the recycled glass, and they brought some black slag glass to our studio, and asked us if we could turn it into jewelry. We obliged them by having the glass cut into a polished cabochon by our gem cutter, and we set the glass stone into a sterling silver ring. The pictures were published in the Chicago Tribune. I actually have a photo of this somewhere, but after moving several times, I have no clue where it is!

*************

And one of my current favorites to recyle is Christmas Cards. Each January, I take all the cards from the season, and cut them on my paper cutter to make beautiful gift tags for the next year. Each tag is different, or course, and I enjoy finding the perfect tag for each gift every year.

*************

Green is a mindset, and we can all have it. It's about being wise with what we have - No more "throw-away society." It's about loving our Earth and all its beautiful resources. And green can be really beautiful. Check out this link for amazing green paper plates:

http://www.interiordesign.net/blog/1860000586/post/520051252.html?nid=2068&

And for more information on some green things you can do this year, see this link, by Penny Bonda, Queen of Green!

http://www.interiordesign.net/blog/1860000586/post/260051626.html?nid=2068&

HAPPY NEW YEAR!