Live Brighter

Ideas and Inspiration

Aug 6, 2013

Lighting Tips

Hollywood and Capitol Lighting are Taking Going Green to the Next Level

The Dave Matthews Band began to green their tours in 2005 and have been making large changes ever since.

dave matthews bandThe band has:

  • Reduced 7,200,000 pounds of CO2.
  • Fueled their buses and trucks with 75,000 gallons of sustainably produced biodiesel.
  • Hosted more than 200 local environmental groups in the Eco-Village.
  • Helped their fans prevent 2,352,000 pounds of CO2 through their online rideshare and fan carbon-offset programs.

The DMB also launched the Green Music Group, a high-profile environmental coalition of musicians, industry leaders and music fans using their power to bring about widespread environmental change in the music industry. Other members of this environmentally- conscious coalition of musicians include Maroon 5, Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow.

Hear the Band and Get in Tune!  Go Green and Sustain your Home and Community with Positive Change…

  • Switch to LED lamps and lighting – LED lamps use 80% less energy than standard incandescent and last up to 50 times longer.  Providing up to 100,000 hours or 25 years of illumination, the LED bulb is the best choice for landscape and outdoor lighting applications where light is required for extended periods of time.
  • Control outdoor lighting. To assure only dusk-to-dawn operation of your outdoor lights, control your fixtures with automated timers.
  • Turn off your ceiling fan when you leave the room. A fan that runs all the time costs up to $7 a month.
  • Choose Energy Smart* and Energy Star** designs: Fixtures and fans equipped with energy-saving CFL (compact fluorescent).  ENERGY STAR ratings are assigned to bulbs and fixtures that use about 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.  An ENERGY STAR CFL may save $30 in electricity costs over its lifetime
  • Curb “light pollution.”  Update your outdoor lighting with “Dark Sky”***compliant fixtures.

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*Energy SMART tm refers to items that use less energy and conserve natural resources as compared to similar products that serve the same purpose.  Energy Smart also refers to the ways in which we consume electricity that are less costly energy-wise and generally more efficient.

** Energy Startm is a United States government program created in 1992 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the purpose of reducing energy consumption and green house gas emissions by power plants.  This voluntary labeling program has grown worldwide to include increasingly more consumer products. ENERGY STARtm ratings are given to products that meet a set a strict regulation standards for energy-efficiency and cost-savings.

***Revere the Dark Sky: Certain municipalities throughout the United States have passed laws and ordinances requiring outdoor lighting fixtures on newly constructed homes be “Dark Sky” compliant.

Lighting plans with “dark sky compliancy” provide for an unobstructed view of the stars and planets, protect biorhythms of life and prevent light pollution.  Be sure to incorporate shielded fixtures into your outdoor lighting scheme and position fixtures to avoid glare and superfluous light from interfering with your view of the nighttime sky or shedding unwanted light toward your neighbors’ property.

Continually searching for ways to protect the natural beauty of the universe, the lighting industry and modern technology go hand in hand.  Splendid illumination and thoughtful lighting plans are essential to this quest.

Enjoy the best in outdoor and landscape lighting, as well as fabulous lighting for kitchen and bath.  Visit a Capitol Lighting showroom or shop 1800lighting.com to view outstanding green arrivals to renew your home for sustainability and a cleaner America.