[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/EW-02-05-14-LED-Lightbulbs.mp3|titles=EW 02-05-14 LED Lightbulbs]
Incandescent light bulbs are becoming rarer all the time. In some places around the world, they have been phased out completely. They are being replaced by newer lighting technologies, which use far less energy.
For years, this has mostly meant compact fluorescent bulbs or CFLs, whose squiggly shapes have become quite familiar. Although they have improved considerably since they were first introduced, CFLs are still not everybody’s favorite light bulbs. They take time to achieve full brightness, they don’t work very well in dimmers, and they contain mercury, making them complicated to dispose.
Light-emitting Diode or LED light bulbs are a more recent development. Like CFLs, they use far less energy than incandescent bulbs; in fact, for a given amount of light intensity (or lumens), they use even less energy than CFLs. But unlike CFLs, LED bulbs turn on instantly, work well in dimmers, and don’t contain anything hazardous. On top of that, they last at least 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
So what’s the downside? LED bulbs are expensive, although they are rapidly coming down in price. Five years ago, you could spend over a hundred dollars for one bulb. A couple of years ago, a 75-watt equivalent bulb still cost $30. But now, such bulbs are often under $10 a piece.
LED bulbs are still pricey, but their longevity and low energy use means they easily pay for themselves. Squiggly light bubs may go from new technology to nostalgia quite soon.
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Web Links
This Little LED of Mine
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/02/business/energy-environment/this-little-led-of-mine.html
Photo, taken on December 1, 2011, courtesy of PSNH via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.