There Is No Waste With This Green Light Bulb

By TimothyForestts

Everywhere you turn, people are talking green.

It is fun to watch as products and ideas continue to surface that are helping our planet become less wasteful in energy consumption. Items that we never dreamed could possibly be replaced are now slowly disappearing with new technology presenting, literally, a better light bulb.

The light bulb has been marveled ever since its presentation in 1879 by Thomas Edison. At first an alternative to using kerosene lamps, it was hard to imagine something better than a light bulb coming along. However, today the regular incandescent light bulb is one of the most energy wasting products that there is.

Nonetheless, it is also the cheapest product of its kind.

During the 1920s, fluorescent lighting was used in garages and commercial buildings where it was a good replacement for the regular light bulb. Fluorescent lighting produces up to 75% less heat than a regular light bulb, but it also had its drawbacks that kept it from being a suitable replacement for residential use. The problems with fluorescent lighting were the large tubes filled with mercury, the temperature sensitivity, and intermittent flickering, as well as the problems of disposing of the lighting.

It was only during the 1970s that people really started taking energy consumption into consideration and that was when the tungsten, or quartz, lamp was developed. This bulb was great, because of the light clarity which is much better than what is created by the incandescent light bulb. The new bulb also had a longer life span and required lower voltage to work. Despite all the benefits and better quality, there was still a reluctance to make the switch away from the regular light bulb since the new bulb was more expensive to buy. However, people who did go in the direction of the new technology were doing so to cut energy consumption.

But now, there is an option that we have all been waiting for.

The most awesome and creative discovery of alternative lighting was discovered in the 1960s and is known as the LED. This device is made out of a Silicon element that converts electrical energy into light energy without the drawbacks found in other lighting types. Invented by Nick Holonyak, known as ‘the father of the light-emitting diode’, Holonyak has received many honors for his innovation that is changing the world.

The light emitting diode, or LED, is different from all other light bulbs. LED lights are the same as the red indicator lights on electronic devices which show if it is on or off. What makes these lights different is that LED lights give off no heat or distorted tint, they have no movable parts and have a long life. On top of that, they are also very energy efficient.

This technology is being worked on all the time now and as a result, there are bulbs being used as replacements in street lights and decorative lighting, as well as for LCD displays of flat screen televisions. Although the costs associated with this technology are high at first, the savings and other benefits outweigh that. Pretty soon all light bulbs will be replaced by the energy efficient and saving LED. This only shows that it is possible to make a better light bulb.

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Article source:  https://www.allbestarticles.com