Finding an eco-friendly lighting solution for indoor and outdoor lighting can have many benefits, including cost, energy consumption and wider environmental effect.

What is Eco-Friendly Lighting?

There is not a definitive answer as to what eco-friendly lighting is. The definition of eco-friendly lighting is not necessarily a product or solution, moreover a set of qualities that lighting products can have that help to reduce negative effects on the environment.

Therefore, eco-friendly lighting could loosely be defined as any part of lighting, including power, fixtures and bulbs, that have a reduced effect on the environment. In a more succinct answer, the definition of sustainable lighting could be referred to; lighting designed with energy efficient light sources.

Overall, eco-friendly lighting has a reduced environmental impact, accredited to qualities which may include energy efficiency, sustainable energy powering or non-toxic materials.

Eco-Friendly Lighting Benefits

There are many benefits to businesses and individuals switching to eco-friendly lighting solutions, whether they be powered by sustainable energy or are more energy efficient.

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Greenhouse gases are released when electricity is created using fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming and associated negative environmental impacts. One way to reduce the amount of harmful emissions is to reduce the amount of energy used, hence the popularity of eco-friendly energy efficient bulbs that require less energy to produce a strong light output.

Preserve Finite Resources

Using fossil fuels to create electricity has many negative effects on the environment, as well as exhausting the finite amount of fossil fuels available. This is unsustainable as it depletes resources for the future. Renewable power, regularly used to create electricity or power lighting, is deemed sustainable as solar, wind, and hydro power are not depleted when harnessed.

Longevity

Many modern lighting solutions are designed for longevity. This means their positive effects are felt for many years and they do not need to be replaced as regularly as unsustainable traditional solutions, reducing manufacturing energy, material and price demand.

Non-Toxicity

Traditional fluorescent lighting can contain toxic elements, such as mercury, which ends up in landfill (as these bulbs cannot be recycled) and can damage the local environment by contamination. Eco-friendly lighting solutions do not contain toxic materials and are widely recycled, protecting local ecosystems from toxic contamination.

Cost Saving

As many eco-friendly lighting solutions are designed for longevity, consumers can save money on replacements. Also, by being more energy efficient, modern eco-friendly lighting solutions can reduce the amount of electricity consumers pay for.

Eco-Friendly Lighting Ideas

LEDs (Light Emitting Diode)

There are various energy efficient bulbs on the market, however LEDs offer the most energy efficiency. Compared to traditional bulbs, LEDs require 90% less energy to emit light, and are known for producing bright lights. Although these bulbs do still use electricity, much electricity around Europe is predominantly created using renewable energy sources, helping to reduce negative environmental impact.

Solar Powered Lighting

Solar powered lights are the ultimate eco-friendly lighting solution. Solareye80 is an innovative outdoor solar powered LED light solution, offering over 8 years of use without electricity. These durable lighting units charge up during daylight hours then run during dark hours, with light sensors turning the unit on/off for economical operation. The off-grid, self-sustaining Solareye80 lights can be quickly installed, require no maintenance or battery replacements, and come with a variety of flashing and colour options.

Perfect for outdoor applications including cycle paths, pedestrian routes, riverside and more, as well as indoor applications such as roof lights for temporary structures, portable toilets, cycle storage or sheds, these green energy lights are the ideal eco-friendly light solution for any application.

Find out more about Solareye roof lights with our beginner’s guide to solar roof lights.

Recyclable Bulbs

If other eco-friendly lighting solutions are not an option, consumers can opt to buy recyclable bulbs and ensure that at the end of its use, their lighting solution doesn’t have harmful effects on the environment. Older incandescent bulbs cannot be recycled and therefore end up in landfill, contributing to negative impacts of landfill sites and contaminating local ecosystems with toxic mercury. Modern energy efficient bulbs are usually widely recycled, conserving resources and energy to process virgin materials.

Bat Hats

Eco-friendly light solutions don’t just have to consider the physical environment, but the animals in it too. Bats, in particular, are easily disturbed by artificial lighting, which can affect their natural feeding, breeding and movement patterns around our towns and cities.

Therefore, at Solareye, we created an innovative Solareye80 Bat Hat to reduce the upwards spillage of light by 98% whilst appearing indistinguishable when viewed from the side profile. The Bat Hat provides an eco-friendly addition to our solar powered lights, ensuring our solution provides a bright light output for safety while reducing the impact on the environment and animals.

See more: The Importance of Bats In Our Towns and Cities

Eco-Friendly Lighting with Solareye

To find out more about our eco-friendly outdoor and roof lighting solutions, simply get in touch, or check out the product specification.  Offering a range of flashing, still light and colour variations of our Solareye80 product, as well as Bat Hat additions to increase the positive environmental impact, we help towns, cities, and more become more eco-friendly through lighting solutions.