It’s all about the green. No, I don’t mean money. I’m talking about the green movement, which aims to minimize the impact of your actions on the earth and reduce your carbon footprint.This movement has led to many great developments and made many people aware of the danger that they are putting the Earth in.
However, some of the advances that have come about as a result of the green movement have unintended negative effects. This includes energy-efficient light bulbs.
Why We’ve Chosen The Energy Efficient Light Bulb
If you are like many Americans, you’ve replaced one or more of the light bulbs in your home with energy-efficient light bulbs. These light bulbs are shaped differently than traditional light bulbs, so they use considerably less energy.In addition to minimizing your energy costs, these light bulbs require less frequent changing, so that is one task that you can cross off of your list.
Energy-efficient bulbs also tend to diffuse the light a bit more, preventing headaches caused by bright lights.It’s clear why energy-efficient light bulbs are popular, but should they be? Like many exciting advances in technology, there is a dark side to these bulbs—and not just the darkness you are left in when they burn out!
The Downside of Energy Efficient Bulbs
Recent research conducted on energy-efficient bulbs has discovered something surprising. Energy-efficient bulbs, thanks to their shape, can leak UV light. That’s the same UV light that can cause sunburn and skin cancer .The manufacturing process of these bulbs may be what is behind this issue.
The shape of the bulb can make the phosphor coating of the bulb crack. When this coating cracks, UV light slips through. In the most recent study, the majority of energy-efficient bulbs tested at stores did have some cracks in their coating.
How You Should Use This Information
Don’t run out just yet and buy all standard light bulbs. Currently, this research is purely theoretical. That means that energy-efficient light bulbs have not been tied to any cases of sunburn or skin cancer. The amount of UV light emitted may be so low that you would need to sit directly next to the bulb for many hours to experience any ill side effects.
However, it is still wise to start looking into other options, as you never know when or if you’ll get a bad batch of bulbs that lets more UV light through. Even if there haven’t been any cases of lightbulb sunburn, you don’t want to be the one that becomes the case study.LED bulbs are a safe alternative to consider.
They last almost 10 times longer than standard light bulbs and they do not have any UV light, eradicating the risk that comes with energy-efficient bulbs.Furthermore, LED lighting mimics natural sunlight. This means that it may be helpful for people with depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder.
You work hard to make the best choices you can for your family and for the environment. Give LED bulbs a try and see how they affect your mood and improve your home’s lighting.
Sources:
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/08/08/158426970/energy-efficient-lightbulbs-have-a-dark-side-when-it-comes-to-health
http://www.healthyfoodteam.com/energy-efficient-bulbs-cause-anxiety-migraines-and-even-cancer-reasons-to-go-back-to-incandescent-bulbs/
Sam Rogers