| When no recycled plastic went into your energy | | | | on this please, it WILL get interesting. |
| efficient product that contains plastic, you could | | | | LED light units are cropping up EVERYWHERE. |
| end up loosing much of the savings on energy | | | | They are tiny, but they are many. I mean there |
| because of the wasteful and overpriced | | | | already are a lot of them with many more zillions |
| resources that went into producing that product in | | | | to come. Perhaps gazillions. As a result, they will |
| the first place. So why exactly you need recycled | | | | be much less visible yet ever more ubiquitous |
| plastic and why especially with your LED product? | | | | than the humble incandescent bulb. And if you |
| The quickest answer is that because energy | | | | think the mass of that 'invisible' plastic does not |
| efficiency is probably the highest on the list when | | | | add up - think again. |
| buying LED lights. But then, think for a moment. | | | | We talked about ants, right? Well, what do you |
| What do you think, why is it that the energy | | | | think, in the overall biomass of Earth, what makes |
| efficient label is too good to be true just by itself? | | | | the larger proportion? Say whales, elephants, |
| ... | | | | sharks and hippos combined, OR the tiny ants. |
| ... Well, we all want to be energy-efficient these | | | | And I mean just ants, not even all the insects. |
| days. We hunt for better products, higher star | | | | Again, those ants are tiny and almost invisible, |
| rating: - and those labels influence our purchase | | | | much like the tiny LED units, right? Yet, the |
| decisions. But those labels only tell one half of the | | | | combined biomass of ants is many magnitudes |
| story -- how much energy you save when using | | | | larger the all the rest of species mentioned |
| the product. What went into the production of | | | | combined. |
| your energy saving device is left out of the | | | | Fresh Oil in Plastic? May be not |
| picture. That is why, when you want to make an | | | | The industry is 'bottling' mega-tonnes of pricey |
| ecologically conscious purchase, yet you could end | | | | and often wastefully produced oil residue into all |
| up being short-changed in the bargain. Now, why | | | | kinds of plastic - the resin your LED unit is |
| this is especially so with purchasing a LED lighted | | | | encased in, but also the housing of your LED |
| product, you ask? This is a very good question, | | | | products. And, yes, you CAN support that kind of |
| and needs a more considered answer. | | | | production with every purchase you make. Can |
| LED bulbs, LED decoration, LED units and what | | | | we afford that? Well, yes we could, if we had |
| not are fast becoming THE trend, because it is | | | | plenty of oil reserves left. Sadly that is so not the |
| said that they are so energy efficient. And, I am | | | | case. In fact, it is a well known fact, that we are |
| convinced, they are a magnitude more efficient, | | | | now running out of oil and beginning the end of |
| then any other type of lighting so far. So that's | | | | the oil era in industrial production. |
| cool. But we keep forgetting the other half of the | | | | Now, if that end is rapidly upon us the production |
| story. That that LED units are encased in plastic, | | | | and process from oil to plastic is wasting a sizable |
| not glass - like incandescent and fluorescent lights. | | | | amount of energy too. That is why I recommend |
| Now why is that important? | | | | to look at the source of the plastic used when |
| Understand that glass from the conventional bulb, | | | | you shop for energy efficient products. Especially, |
| for the most part can be broken and recycled. | | | | when you look for the right LED light - the |
| And usually that is the case, we hope. But LED | | | | purchase of which should left you feel really good. |
| plastic is made to last very long 7-11 years. Ok, | | | | Whenever you can, shop for LED light with |
| now you might say that a LED unit is so tiny, | | | | recycled plastic. It should preferably be made |
| why should we even bother about recycled | | | | sustainably from organic and/or biodegradable |
| plastic? Well, because plastic production involves | | | | materials so it doesn't end up as toxic land-fill. And |
| the use of OIL residue - and, yes, at last count | | | | before all kinds of plastics becomes recycled on a |
| we WERE running out of oil. | | | | broad enough scale, you can be pro-active and |
| Ants and LED Units | | | | buy products that already have enough recycled |
| So what you may say now: - Not a big deal. | | | | plastic content (often called green plastic.) What to |
| What we are talking about is a tiny portion of oil, | | | | look for? Here, I have assembled a number of |
| perhaps a few dozen drops per unit. Why to | | | | LED product categories and reviewed a number |
| make a mountain out of a molehill. We are talking | | | | of products with which you can achieve that goal. |
| about an ant, not an elephant, right? Exactly...And | | | | And - for contrast - I also review the many |
| that IS my point. We are talking about something | | | | benefits of other energy efficient products. |
| so very small just like an ant. Now, here me out | | | | |