Globe lighting: The facts

In the days before the invention of the light bulb, moonlight was the only way to illuminate the outside world after sunset. Many people would use vast arrays of candles to help light up both their interior and their gardens. Fortunately, the invention of the light bulb eventually led to the creation of lighting such as outdoor globe lights. Here is a guide to their use in the current ecological climate.

Greenhouse gases

It is now estimated that some 12% of greenhouse gas emissions are emitted by lighting. This is just in the private sector. In the industrial world, the figure rises to around 25%. Thus, significant energy-saving developments are being created that are also designed to be more cost-effective. Incandescent globes In fact, incandescent globes are estimated to waste at least 90% of their energy - largely as heat. With this in mind, many countries have begun to impose measures that will lead to a restricted use of the traditional but inefficient incandescent globes.

The alternatives

Alternatives to the traditional incandescent globes have been developed in the guise of "Compact Fluorescent Lamps" otherwise known simply as CFL's. These have since become the most popular energy saving alternative. Eight times longer lasting While these globes will involve a higher initial outlay, they produce the same amount of light as the traditional globes whilst using only a quarter of the energy combined with the fact that, on average, they can last up to eight times longer than their predecessors. In the long term, they are highly cost-effective.

Choice of colours

These compact fluorescent lamps are usually offered in two different colours. Warm white The lamps that are closest to the traditional globes are those that are produced with a warm white colour. These lamps emit a very soft and subtle light that will be ideal for interior areas such as bedrooms and kitchens. Cool white The alternative are models that are offered with a cool white effect. These lamps emit a 'whiter' light that is fairly neutral in tone. This makes these models ideally suited to both interior bathrooms and outdoor areas such as gardens. Endnote While downlights, usually fitted with halogen lamps, are more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lights, you will need at least three of these to every one CFL to light an area sufficiently.