LEDs and the environment?

Question

Are LEDs any better for the environment in terms of pollution, etc. than... ummm... non-LEDs?

Argh, I don't know what the 'opposite' of LEDs are, but hopefully someone understands my question!

Thank you :]

Answer 1

They use less power per unit light than incandescant bulbs, so yes, they're better.

Answer 2

Yes, LEDs are better for the environment than other light sources because they do not need to heat up (like light bulbs do) - they can operate 'cold'. Of the energy a light bulb emits, 95% is heat and only 5% is light so you can see how inefficient a light bulb is. Since LEDs do not heat up, they only use a small fraction of the amount of energy that a light bulb uses up, and uses this energy more efficiently.

Answer 3

Yes, LEDs are probably the best choice for efficient and clean lighting.  

1.  They don't contain dangerous elements and compounds like most florescent bulbs.  

2.  More efficient than most other light sources.  (100 lumens/watt.  A typical florescent outputs about 61.5 lm/W, incandescent produces a mere 13.3 lm/W)

3.  LEDs have a longer life than most other bulbs.  A typical LED will last about 100,000 hours compared to 10,000 hours of a CFL.  Not to mention, LEDs don't succumb to  damage by being repeatedly switched on and off.

The only problem right now with LEDs is the price tag and availability.