Options for lighting for the home improved dramatically with Tomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb. Yes, for well over one hundred years, his light bulb has been providing home light to countless residences worldwide. Indeed, his invention made illuminating homes, both indoors and outdoors significantly easier, for those households that were able to access and use his invention. However, while Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb was quite the invention in his day, the design was not particularly energy efficient. The focus back then was probably on providing light, while the focus today in the United States and other parts of the world is not only to provide light, but to provide light that is energy efficient. In fact, the Congress of the United States has mandated energy efficiency standards that will phase-out the traditional energy inefficient incandescent light bulb during the next few years. The traditional incandescent light bulb, will be replaced with energy efficient light bulbs, such as light emitting diodes and compact fluorescent bulbs.
While the incandescent light bulb has indeed provided a much needed product in the market place for numerous years, the difference in energy consumption and light bulb illumination-duration is quite significant. To illustrate, lets compare a common 60 watt incandescent light bulb with a high energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulb that consumes 14 watts. The 60 watt incandescent light bulb provides 840 lumens and provides about 1,000 hours of illumination time. On the other hand, a high energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulb that consumes 14 watts, provides 900 lumens, while providing about 10,000 hours of illumination time. Thus, while the high energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulb consumes 46 fewer watts than the 60 watt incandescent light bulb, it provides about 9,000 more hours of illumination time, while also providing 60 more lumens than the 60 watt incandescent light bulb. To clarify, watts is a measure of energy consumption. Lumens, on the other hand, is a measure of light bulb brightness.
Clearly, by using high energy efficient light bulbs, consumers will consume less energy, which is beneficial to their pocketbook. Moreover, by consuming less energy, mother nature is better served. Additionally, by consuming fewer light bulbs, fewer need to be disposed, which also tends to be beneficial to mother nature.
Thus, while Thomas Edison has made significant and historical contributions to lighting, as time progresses, new technologies emerge that improves on previous inventions. Lighting is no different. The traditional incandescent light bulb will be retired from the market place in the United States during the next few year, after providing tremendous benefit to countless households worldwide.
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