1/23/2012 4:26:00 PM The New CFL Lamp Reverse Vending MachineDenise B. FongRecycling fluorescent lamps is finally approaching the main stream with this first of its kind reverse vending machine. At one IKEA European locations they have installed a vending machine that collect CFL lamps. This has been the Achilles heel of moving large numbers of residential customers to fluorescent lamps. What to do with them after they are spent? Manufacturers of the lamps have largely washed their hands of the responsibility to collect and recycle them. In small quantities they are not regulated as hazardous waste. Residential customers cannot easily dispose of them in a responsible way. We have machines that collect soft drink bottles and cans, plastic bags, now it’s time for CFL and batteries and in the not too distant future LED lamps too. Let’s hope these machines will be widely distributed in this country.
What do you think of the new Light Bulb Recycling Machine? For more information click here.
1/5/2012 9:53:00 AM Questioning The Cost of Sustainable LightingDenise B. Fong
How do you evaluate the cost of a more sustainable lighting system compared to a less sustainable lighting system? Is it just the difference in energy and first cost of the equipment? Or does it include the amount of mercury in the light source, the recycled content or recyclability of the product? What about how far the fixture traveled and where it was assembled? Some of these items are hard to quantify. What about the life of a product? Even more difficult to quantify are intangibles that damage the environment. What kind of process was used to finish the product and what damage does it do to the environment? Where does the electricity come from that powers the lighting? Is it from an old coal fired power plant or from a renewable source? Unless you live in an area where all the power is generated from a single source, you have no way of knowing where your power is coming from.
If something lasts 10 years and an equivalent performing product lasts one year, how much of a premium can you afford on the initial cost of the longer lasting product? Which of the two products is more easily recycled or up-cycled?
If we had to calculate the real cost to the environment to clean up the pollution caused by inefficient and dirty power plants and mercury infiltrating our ground water and assign that cost to the purchase price of some of our current technologies, they would not look so inexpensive.
As much as people talk about wanting to be sustainable, no one wants to spend more money to get there and yet we don’t include all of our costs in how we formulate the equation. If we did, some of the technologies that seem too expensive now would suddenly become more affordable.
As a society, we have to decide if the total cost of producing a product includes the pollution it causes during the production stage and while it is in service and what can be done with it at the end of its useful life. If we don’t, we will never find a truly sustainable path.
12/27/2011 8:09:00 AM Lighting up a Holiday NightDenise B. FongHere in the Northwest, we like to complain about the shorter days this time of year but there is a bright side. Because the nights are longer, we have more hours to enjoy the festive seasonal lighting so many homes and businesses put up for us all to enjoy. As we ease into the holidays, take some time with family or friends to stroll through your neighborhood and enjoy the millions of twinkling lights and remember the hope and joy that the season brings. 12/15/2011 4:04:00 PM What Would You Put in your Holiday Jar?Randall P. Fisher
It’s that time of year again; I love the holiday season.
This year for our office holiday party I asked the office staff to participate by helping with the decorations; lighting related of course!
I gave each staff member a clear glass mason jar. I asked them to fill it up the jar with what the holiday season means to them. There were only two restrictions: 1. No liquids and 2. Don’t fill it to the top.
I took the lid and cut a hole so I could pop thru a string of bulbs. The light string was connected to a local dimmer to set the light level just right.
The team did a great job of taking a personalized approach to the Holiday Jar Project. Some were very simple while others must have spent hours decorating their jar. During the party we went around the room and each person said what was in their jar and what it meant to them. At the end of the week, each person will be able to take their jars home to keep and display for their friends and family. [I’ll be giving them a new solid lid in case you were wondering]
Here are close up photos for a couple of finished jars.
One person goes to see a show, like the Nutcracker, each year with her family.
Another person used to make Christmas ornaments with her mom.
Let me know your answer to this question: “What would you put in your holiday jar?”.
Happy Holidays!
Randy
11/9/2011 9:00:00 AM Halloween at the San Diego OfficeRandall P. FisherI hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween last week. Take a look at what our office put together on the Candela YouTube channel.
With a little creativity and time, you too can transform your office space into a whole new world.
Let me know what your office did for Halloween.
11/3/2011 1:40:00 PM AIA Houston +2030 Challenge SeriesDenise B. Fong
Last night I shared the podium with Ian Rowbottom, of Lutron and Rives Taylor, of Gensler at the AIA Houston gathering for their 2030 Challenge Series. We had a lively discussion about the benefits and challenges of incorporating daylighting into our structures and discussed strategies for integrating daylight and electric light. People were curious about changes in lamp technology, how to articulate the benefits of controls and what will our codes be requiring in the future. For a glimpse of the presentation check out this link  AIA Houston Presentaton.pdf
11/3/2011 8:21:00 AM Lighting Design with Economics in MindDenise B. Fong
At the Annual IES Conference in Austin this week, Craig Kohring and I traded jabs on the economics of designing sustainable environments, in particular using lighting systems as examples. Craig took the point of view that if it doesn’t pay for itself we shouldn’t bother and I took the point of view that we have no choice. Examples of global warming are all around us and business as usual is no longer possible. In the end, we found common ground with several examples where sustainable designs were achievable with little or no additional cost. It’s not just about design. It’s an issue that must be tackled on every level – government, private enterprise, education, community and individuals. There is a role for everyone and we must all participate. For a look at our presentation check out this linkSustainability and Economics handout.pdf 10/4/2011 10:55:00 AM Simple GreenRandall P. Fisher You might be thinking that to be “green” in today’s world you need to spend a lot of money.
Well, you would be completely wrong.
I came across this video of people in the Philippines that use everyday items to help brighten their day… Literally!
Watch how a little ingenuity, some tin snips, a soda bottle and some sealant can really can impact a person’s life.
I hope you enjoy it and it gets you to start thinking of simple ways to improve your life or the lives of others around you.
The video link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Fpsw_yYPg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Let me know what simple things you do to green your life.
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