Is it 2013 already? It’s hard to believe – it feels like just yesterday was January ’12 and we all were resolving to make our lives healthier, smarter, and easier. But, if last year’s resolutions didn’t work out as planned, and you’re feeling cynical about making any positive changes for 2013, maybe you just need to lighten up (literally).
Lighting is such an integral part of our everyday lives, affecting the way we see and navigate through the entire world, why couldn’t it help you achieve your New Year’s Resolution?
Below are 5 of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions, and lighting just might be the key to help you stay on track with each of them…
1. Save Money.
Dreading monthly bills, clipping coupons, and cutting back on every non-essential can get overwhelming. No wonder we feel like giving up mid-February. An easy way to passively save money each month is to switch out your old incandescent lights for energy-saving LED and fluorescent lights.
Did you know, roughly 20% of the world’s electricity consumption goes to lighting? If you swap all the light bulbs in your home for more efficient varieties, you’ll save an average of $400 a year! You can save even more money by installing motion sensors, timers, photocell, and other controls on your indoor and outdoor lights, to only use them when you need them. The best part: once installed, you hardly have to think about them at all.
2. Live Healthier.
Lose weight. Live well. Get fit. We all say we’re going to wake up early and go for a run, or hit the gym, or even just have time for a nutritious breakfast. But a few weeks go by and it’s back to the same coffee-on-the-go, exhausted-on-the-couch lives we know. What gives?
Truthfully, it’s next to impossible to make one big change, without maintaining a more wholly healthy lifestyle. Studies show that health starts with sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to depression, suppressed immune function, and you guessed it – weight gain. But, the right lighting (warm, dim light at night and cool, bright light in the morning) can help regulate levels of melatonin in the body and foster healthy sleep patterns. Why not resolve to do something smaller this year, like installing a dimmer in your bedroom, or cutting out late night computer use? Just wait and see how much healthier you’ll feel.
3. Go Green.
If you’re looking for an easy way to live a more sustainable life, and to preserve the environment, switching out your light bulbs for energy-efficient CFLs and LEDs couldn’t be easier. Yes, they save money (like I said above), but they do it by using up less energy.
Get this: if every household in the US replaced their 5 most frequently used light bulbs or fixtures with energy-efficient ones, we would save at least $8 billion each year in energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 10 million cars!
4. Love Where You Live.
Maybe you’re unhappy with the state of your habitat. Maybe you want a more relaxing abode for a better work/life balance. Maybe your house has never really felt like home. If relaxing in your living room, kitchen, bathroom, deck, anywhere, doesn’t bring you joy, it’s time change. Lights are a great place to start, because they affect a space’s entire feel.
If your kitchen is dismal and dark, transform it into a dazzling work space with under cabinet lights. If your patio is lifeless after dark, try adding some deck lights or step lights and turn it into a midnight oasis.
5. Be Prepared For Anything.
In years past, we’ve all seen and heard about disasters big and small. While we all hope nothing calamitous will happen in 2013, in the end being prepared for the worst can almost always help things turn out for the better. No matter where you live, light in an essential.
In case of a power outage, make sure you’ve stocked up on battery operated lights like flashlights and lanterns. Step lights and night lights that run on batteries are also a valuable asset to help loved ones navigate around the house. If you want to go the extra mile, you could install a ReadyBright Power Outage System in your home, which will automatically provide your whole house with 40+ hours of battery operated LED light. For road safety, we recommend you travel with at least one reusable LED road flare.
What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Please share!