It is an unchallenged belief that humans have certain basic needs for survival—food, water, and sleep, for example. However, while these things may account for an individual’s biological and physiological needs, there are many other things we humans need to thrive as opposed to purely survive. One of those things is a gift that millions of people take for granted each and every day: light. For many of us, light is simply a way of life; and, as a result, we are becoming exceedingly reliant on its steadfast presence.

Every night, millions of people around the world struggle to overcome darkness. While some sleep, others attempt to work and study deep into the night. According to the International Energy Agency, 1.2 billion people—17% of the world’s population—–did not have access to electricity in 2013. These individuals, therefore, are forced to turn to non-renewable light fuel oils such as kerosene for light. This dependence on kerosene lamps then leaves behind a large ecological and economical concern to be addressed. More...

The Gigafactory is Tesla Motor’s massive lithium ion battery manufacturing plant. The name derives from the term Gigawatt-hours (GWh’s), a measure of electricity storage or usage, which represents one billion kilowatt-hours. The facility is designed to produce 35 GWh’s of energy storage every year in the form of 60 to 90 kWh batteries. Advanced assembly techniques and economies of scale will lower the cost of the batteries and increase their availability. Tesla hopes to generate 500,000 electric vehicles (EV’s) using the Gigafactory every year by 2020. EV's have a stop and start history due to lack of demand, technology, and pressures from the fossil fuel industry, but Tesla has brought them to the forefront in an effort to make them a more permanent fixture in society. Batteries, the most important and expensive component of an electric vehicle, will no longer limit the fabrication of sustainable vehicles.More...

With July 4th behind us, it’s officially summer and time to think about your outdoor lighting needs. Here are some of our favorite products to light the night!

Bug Lights

Anytime you’re outside in the summer, there’s one thing that’s sure to ruin it: bugs. The problem tends to be worse at night because traditional lights attract them.

Most people are so used to seeing bugs on their outdoor lights they’ve never wondered why, or how to stop them. Insects see light differently than people do, and they’re most attracted to shorter wavelengths—light at the far end of the spectrum, close to ultraviolet light. So all too often, the most attractive light in the area will be the manmade outdoor light around your deck, porch or patio.

Bug lights use filtered yellow glass to minimize the short spectrum light—so they don’t attract insects. If you haven’t yet, this summer is the time to switch.

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It's that time of year again. Yes, time for many of us to begin decorating for the holidays (if you haven't started already).  If your last name is Griswold, please pay attention.  If not, still pay attention, as it is very important to take your lighting seriously this holiday season. According to the National Fire Protection Association, thirty per cent of all home fires occur during December, January and February.  In addition, nearly 6,000 people a year are treated in hospital emergency rooms for falls associated with holiday decorations. More than half of these injuries involve falls from ladders or roofs while decorating outdoors. We could tell you about all the injuries, but instead, here are some of the most common holiday decoration and lighting tips to keep you safe!

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As the weather gets nicer, people flock to their porches and yards. Unfortunately, so do bugs. If you’re looking to reduce the bugs around your outdoor lights but don’t like the look of yellow bug lights, LED might just be the perfect solution.

Traditional bug lights tend to be identifiable by their yellow color. The reason for this is that traditional bulbs emit light across a wide spectrum, including ultraviolet (UV) light. This light is invisible to humans but is highly attractive to insects. The yellow coating of a bug light is designed to filter out most of this ultraviolet light; they’re not designed to repel insects but to simply be less attractive to them.

In addition to the other benefits LED bulbs offer, most LEDs emit light in a very narrow spectrum and do not emit UV light, and are therefore not attractive to bugs. Many bulbs in our LED lineup are also damp location rated, so they’re ideal for outdoor use as long as they’re not directly exposed to the weather or completely enclosed.

If you want to save energy, increase life, and reduce bugs in your outdoor spaces, LED might just be the right light for you.