The first Earth Day (April 22) was in 1970 and was started to highlight the need to reduce our output of carbon and garbage and to take time to remember the beauty of our shared home. The official Earth Day website offers a short history of the movement, noting that “Earth Day 2010 came at a time of great challenge for the environmental community. Climate change deniers, well-funded oil lobbyists, reticent politicians, a disinterested public, and a divided environmental community all contributed to the narrative—cynicism versus activism.” But the reinvention in 2010 helped to reshape that narrative to a call to respond to the current concerns around climate change.
Each year, Earth Day provides an opportunity to look anew at ways we can protect the environment because each year, technology has found new ways to do so. For a quick example, think of the light bulb. We’ve switched from incandescent bulbs to CFLs to LEDs, one of the most energy-efficient bulbs.
The lighting industry is also responding, with the advent of smart phones that can help you manage your lighting systems whether you are home or not. Remember when you used to leave a light on when you left on vacation? Then came those timers you plug into the wall? Now you can use smart applications that work with your phone to either create a pattern of lighting while you are away for long stretches. They can also be activated when you arrive home, providing lighted paths to your house and within your house to assure a safe and energy-efficient re-entry into your home.
When you begin to think about Earth Day and the ways you can help to save energy (and money), contact us; we can help you plan for the immediate and perpetual future.