Greetings to all who share the wisdom of feng shui!
Incandescent Light Bulbs!
In 2012, our vision for a lighter and brighter future is enhanced with feng shui adjustments that add the right kind of light to our environment. Since 1879 we have lived in the comfort zone of incandescent lighting. We have taken light for granted and are seriously shaken up when the power goes out. We search for matches, candles, flashlights and batteries. When a bulb burns out, shopping for a new one was always easy. 75 W, the most common strength, is highly visible in big lettering on the corrugated or cardboard box. We know how much light we get when we see the Watt and we choose accordingly.
In Pyramid Feng Shui we distinguish between general lighting, task lighting and indirect (ambient) lighting. For task lighting, we consider additional factors:
- The level of general lighting
- The type of task
- The age of the person
- The season
- The contrast between task lighting and general surroundings (ratio should be 3:1)
Even with these considerations, we were able to pick the proper light bulb for our purpose. Things became slightly more complicated when halogen bulbs, with a longer lifespan, were added, as well as full spectrum lights, flood lights and spot lights, which are usually higher in watt. These were used to highlight art, architectural and landscape details, and special effects.
All of the above will change as we stand at a crossroads, and from our vantage point we have to choose the direction of future lighting. Government guidelines tell us that incandescent lighting will be obsolete, and that we must choose between wide arrays of futuristic looking light bulbs. The highly visible lettering of 75 W or the equivalent has shrunk and is now part of a litany of incomprehensible tech terms for light bulbs that are imbedded in inaccessible plastic casings.
With Pyramid Feng Shui, we want to help you cut a clear path through the jungle of light bulbs by stepping back and learning more about our familiar incandescent light bulb. After that we will move into the complexity of futuristic lighting. In addition to the large 75 W lettering, the old cardboard box gave you information about light output and life span, both of which you could readily ignore. Let’s just review the simple facts:
- Watt is the measurement of the amount of electricity used by the light bulb e.g. 75 W
- Life indicates the number of hours the light bulb is expected to last e.g. 1000 hrs
- Lumens is the measurement of the light output of the bulb e.g. 800 lumens for 75 W
On futuristic light bulb packaging, watt has shrunk to smaller lettering equal to life and lumens. We know already that energy efficient light bulbs have a longer life than traditional light bulbs. But did we know that this lifespan is based on usage of 3 hrs @ day, and that frequent switching on and off will shorten the life expectancy?
To understand the future of lighting, we need to be familiar with lumens and learn that with higher watt comes higher lumens. This is very important to understand since energy efficient light bulbs use less electricity and therefore require fewer watt for the same amount of lumens. We need to shift our concept of light and brightness from watt to lumens, and since we are creatures of habit, this is a dramatic change in pattern and thinking. For now, lumens is the key word to remember when you go about adjusting your feng shui lighting to fit the task. In our series of newsletters, we will help you decipher additional key words that matter on your path to a lighter and brighter future.
Start Learning the New Language of Lighting Today
With Pyramid Feng Shui!