Earth Hour 2012 in Madison, WI and Your LED Lighting Guide

April 03, 2012

On March 31^st, 150 countries and territories across 6494 towns and cities participated in Earth Hour 2012, and Madison, WI was no exception. Our own Monona Terrace joined in Saturday morning’s Earth Hour by shutting off all non-essential lights for one hour, in a show of support for energy saving initiatives the world over. Hundreds of businesses around the state participated, as well.

Lanterns at Earth Hour

Earth Hour is a global environmental event in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. It has been called ‘the World’s largest campaign for the planet.’ Famed international buildings went dark for one hour during Earth Hour 2012, including: Vienna’s Imperial Castle; landmarks in Rome and the Vatican; the Sydney Opera House; the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; London’s Big Ben and House of Parliament; and Burj Kalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, in Dubai.

At Ryan Koch Homes, we've been inspired by the global impact of Earth Hour 2012. Recently, I made the switch from standard light bulbs to environmentally friendly LED lighting in the busiest rooms in my home. This is a change that we feel great about, and plan to continue in even greater force in the years to come. We’re looking forward to seeing a dip in our electricity usage, and electricity bill!

Unfamiliar with LED lighting or looking for more information? Here’s a quick LED lighting guide, outlining some of the benefits:

Energy-Saving LED Light Bulbs

Long-Lasting - LED bulbs last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents, and far longer than typical incandescents.

Durable – LEDs have no filament, and are therefore, not as easily damaged as a regular incandescent bulb.

Mercury-Free - no mercury is used in the manufacturing of LEDs.

Cool – LED bulbs do not cause heat build-up! They produce 1/24^th of the heat output of incandescent bulbs. This makes them safer to touch, and helps to reduce air conditioning costs in the home.

Efficient - LED light bulbs use only 2-17 watts of electricity (that’s 1/3rd to 1/30th the amount used by of incandescent or CFL bulbs). LED bulbs used in the home save electricity, and save money on replacement costs, since LED bulbs last so long.

Cost-Effective - although LEDs are initially more expensive than incandescent bulbs, the cost is recouped due to the much longer lifetime of the LED bulb. The cost of LED bulbs has been decreasing, making cost less of an issue. To see a cost comparison between the different types of energy-saving light bulbs, see this Light Bulb Comparison Chart.

Great for remote areas and portable generators – LED lights require very little power, as compared to traditional bulbs, therefore, they are ideal for use in solar panels, off-grid areas, and small portable generators. I’ll be switching out flashlight batteries and using LEDs as part of my camping gear, this summer.

The team at Ryan Koch Homes encourages you to take the inspiration of Earth Hour and carry it through the entire year, working to conserve energy, reduce waste, and continually educate yourself on the many ways you can make a positive difference for the future of our planet.

Interested in learning more about LED lighting for your home? Check out Eartheasy.com.
For more information about Earth Hour 2012, click here.
Get involved in environmental events, right here in Madison! The following websites are a great place to start: TravelWisconsin.com and the UW Nelson Institute.