Did you know that light bulbs are harmful to the earth? In fact, some contain mercury, which can be dangerous if discarded incorrectly. Although some bulbs have a shorter lifespan than others, this will increase the amount of glass in the landfill. 

In addition, artificial light from bulbs can cause light pollution, which can damage the night ecosystem and make it difficult for humans to see the night sky. 

In this article, we will discuss the most environmentally friendly light bulbs and ways to reduce light pollution.

Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs were originally created as colored lighting indicators used in laboratories in the 1960s. LED bulbs began to be used in residential buildings in the 1990s, but they are expensive and difficult to find. Today, due to technological advances, they are easily available and much cheaper.

LED bulbs are one of the most energy-efficient bulbs. In addition, they can last up to 50,000 hours, emit almost no heat, and are usually made of recycled materials. 

Incandescent bulbs may be your most traditional type of bulb. They are also one of the more common light bulbs because they are cheap and many people like to emit warm light in their homes. 

Unfortunately, incandescent bulbs are not as energy-efficient as LED lights, and they can only be used for about a year. Therefore, they need to be replaced frequently, which is not good for the environment. 

You can think of a halogen bulb as an improved version of an incandescent bulb. . Halogen bulbs usually produce white light, and you can usually dim them. 

They are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but still not as good as LED bulbs. 

Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs are more energy efficient than halogen bulbs and incandescent bulbs, but not as good as LEDs. They are also not as durable as LED bulbs, but CFL bulbs can usually be recycled. 

Inefficient bulbs and short-lived bulbs (incandescent bulbs) will eventually be thrown into garbage and landfills. Therefore, it is best to spend more money to buy LED and CFL bulbs, both of which have a longer life than halogen bulbs and incandescent bulbs.

Artificial light, that is, the light produced by a bulb, also affects the earth in the following ways:

Light pollution: Light pollution is caused by artificial light, making it difficult for humans and other animals to see the night sky. Other environmental impacts are described below, but in general, unfortunately, the vast majority of humans are affected by light pollution and cannot see the Milky Way. 

Disrupt the ecosystem: Artificial light disrupts the relationship between hunters and prey at night. When spotting prey, light provides an unfair advantage to hunters, which reduces the number of certain prey animals. 

Migration pattern: Some birds, bats and insects travel or migrate at night. Large amounts of artificial light from cities and residential areas can disrupt these migration patterns. This is dangerous for some species because they may not be able to reach the necessary destination in time. 

For tips on how to reduce light pollution and which bulbs to buy, check out HomeAdvisor’s infographic below: 

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