Carbontrust.com defines carbon footprint to be the measure of the total greenhouse gases being emitted into the environment, directly or indirectly by a person, organization or a product.
In simple terms, it is the negative impact human activities cause on the Earth’s atmosphere, expressed as increase in CO2 (carbon dioxide).
Driving a car, switching on a light bulb, charging your phone, all contribute to the individual carbon footprint. Carbon footprint, in turn, contribute to global warming, causing massive climate change, rising sea levels and polar meltdown.
Carbon footprint is classified into two types: primary and secondary.
Primary carbon footprint is the emission associated directly with the activity of the individual, and the footprint that the individual can actively reduce himself. An example of reducing primary carbon footprint could be choosing to walk to work rather than driving.
Secondary carbon footprint is contributing indirectly to the gas emissions by using products that contribute to the carbon footprint over their entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. A person can reduce secondary carbon footprint by using products that are produced using renewable energy and can be recycled.
Majority of the countries—including the US—produce electricity by burning fossil fuels such as gas and coal. Renewable energy, which is environmental friendly, is expected to replace fossil fuels by 2050. So cutting down the use of electricity is the only way to reduce the carbon footprint for now.
That is why LED lights have become so popular in efforts to reduce the carbon footprint.
Low Consumption-Primary Carbon Footprint
LED lights have remarkably low consumption of electricity, compared to the normal incandescent bulbs. They also give greater brightness; a 15-watt LED light bulb can give the same brightness as a 100-watt incandescent light bulb. That means the same brightness just by using 15% of the electricity.
This also means a great reduction in the electricity bills if all the lights in the house are replaced with LED light bulbs.
This is a great way to reduce primary carbon footprint immediately.
Longer Lasting- Secondary Carbon Footprint
Another reason why LED light bulbs reduce carbon footprint is that they last much longer than the normal bulbs. Majority of the LED light bulbs have a life of nearly 50,000 hours that is 50 times more than an incandescent light bulb.
This means less production of light bulbs and reduction of carbon footprint from factories. It may not seem like a big deal to homeowners, but it is a great way to reduce secondary carbon footprint. Less production means less machine usage in factories, less truck transport and less warehousing.
Installing LED
The great thing about installing LED light bulbs is that there is no need to change the fixtures and fittings, or upgrade the electrical system.
At RHK Electrical, we provide a wide range of colors in LED light bulbs to choose from to increase the aesthetic appeal of your home, all in competitive prices.
If you are based in Cypress, TX, call now on (832) 948-6019 for complete residential and commercial LED services.
Convert your home to 100% LED lights today and contribute towards making a better world.