Each April 22, Earth Day reinforces the importance of global environmentalism and the need to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. However, most environmentalists worldwide agree that one day of commitment isn’t enough and everyone, everywhere should treat each and every day as Earth Day.
“Our appreciation for our planet and the dedication to reducing our overall energy consumption should be a daily event,” says Ace Rosenstein, Sea Gull Lighting’s vice president of marketing and corporate development. “While Earth Day serves as a valuable annual reminder, companies and individuals alike need to constantly gauge their use of energy and the ways in which we can reduce consumption and better protect our environment.
“Unfortunately, corporations and people who treat Earth Day as a simple annual event aren’t doing enough in either their public or private lives to reduce energy use and the release of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. In order to make a difference, we all must make a conscious effort to replace the many sources of wasted energy with the latest methods for improving energy efficiency.”
For many in the United States, this effort has included the purchase of numerous energy-efficient products that now span 50 different categories ranging from major appliances and office equipment to home electronics and lighting. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the sale of Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) nearly doubled last year to help Americans save enough energy in 2007 to avoid greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to those from 27 million cars. In addition, if the trend continues and every American home replaced just one traditional incandescent lighting fixture with an Energy Star qualified product, the country would save more than $600 million in annual energy costs and nearly enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year.
That’s because today’s Energy Star qualified lighting is guaranteed through stringent EPA testing procedures to:
- Use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional lighting products without sacrificing quality
- Generate 78 percent less heat than standard incandescent lighting, which can translate into cooler rooms during summer months and additional savings on utility costs for air conditioning
- Use bulbs that last at least 10,000 hours compared to typical incandescent bulbs that last about 750 – 1000 hours. Thus, Energy Star qualified fixtures used for an average of three hours per day will not require bulb changes for at least eight years substantially reducing the nuisance of buying, stocking and changing new bulbs
- Include a two-year manufacturer’s warranty
“For the best results and greatest energy savings, consumers should replace the most utilized traditional incandescent fixtures typically found in family, living and dining rooms as well as kitchens, bedrooms and the outdoors, with Energy Star qualified fixtures” says Paul Vrabel, Sea Gull Lighting’s director of energy efficient products. “As a result, consumers and companies alike will not only significantly reduce their use of energy, but also immediately realize savings on their energy bills."
To learn more about Energy Star qualified lighting and all the current options please visit www.SeaGullLighting.com or call 1-800-877-4855.