The weather is warm, the days are long and that means it’s time to reassess your home lighting! Long summer days and warm summer nights can be energizing and good for the soul, but they can also help you reduce your carbon footprint by lessening the amount of energy needed to light your home.
Sunlight is brighter than a multitude of light bulbs, and it’s free. This summer see how long you can go without turning on your lights.
And if you're a homeowner looking to brighten up your home, consider installing skylights or solar tubes (here's an example) to bring in the natural light. The Australian government reports that skylights emit over three times as much light as a same-sized vertical window. In addition to creating more natural light in the home, skylights improve energy efficiency by heating and cooling your home with less need for a HVAC system. It has been estimated that switching to a double pane skylight can reduce heat loss by 15%. Here's an example of a solar tube
But perhaps best of all, exposure to sunlight is believed to help your brain produce more serotonin, which is a hormone that is believed to boost your mood, help you remain calm, and keep you focused. Since the Personal Climate Action Center
has a goal of helping people acknowledge and work through ways to combat Climate Anxiety this is a great way to boost your mood while connecting to nature and bringing it into your home. So go ahead - celebrate nature in your own home and let the sunshine in!
Ready to take action?
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