What do we do to be sustainable
Sustainability is very important to us. Not only personally but also as a company we feel responsible for contributing to a sustainable society.
One of the main reasons for us to sell LED lighting is the fact that LED is sustainable, in addition to the fact that we stand 100% behind the quality and low prices of our products.
Besides the fact that our led products contribute to making our society more sustainable on both a business and residential level, we do everything we can to be as sustainable as possible in our own operations. We would like to explain what we are doing now and what we want to achieve in the future.
What we do now
Use as little plastic as possible
We do not use plastic packaging material for the orders we pack. Many companies use air-filled plastic packaging material. Sometimes with the note that this is recycled plastic. Now we are not averse to plastic being recycled as long as there is a sustainable purpose for it. Packaging material is generally used once and immediately thrown away by the consumer, this way you can recycle the plastic endlessly but the disposable culture remains.
Reusing boxes and packaging material
At every opportunity that arises to reuse used boxes or used packaging material for a new order, we do this. Think of returns we receive but also boxes and packaging material we receive when we have ordered something ourselves. Of course, we do check that this is done responsibly and hygienically.
Using packaging tape sparingly
Packages must be properly packed and taped up before they are sent. This is to ensure that orders arrive whole and complete to our customers. We also have to be mindful of third-party handling of our packages and mishaps. But we make sure that our employees use tape as sparingly as possible and do not use it extra when not needed.
No printed invoices
We do not print out invoices to send with the packages. Everyone who orders on our website receives a digital invoice. This is always saved in our system in case someone accidentally deletes it and still needs it. We therefore discourage customers from printing it out themselves and only do so if the purpose makes it necessary.
Purchasing with as few CO2 emissions as possible
To minimize the cO2 emissions of our products, our products are not delivered by plane or boat. All our deliveries are by train. This is not always the cheapest choice but is very consciously made. This way of transport has the smallest co2 emission.
What we are working on
- Setting up our own collection point to recycle old lighting (or other electrical appliances)
- Talking to manufacturers about sustainable packaging
- Talking to local companies to reuse boxes
- Producing our own packaging using recycled cardboard
Become more sustainable with LED lighting
The traditional light bulb was invented more than 100 years ago. This is now quite an outdated product. Fortunately, incandescent lamps as well as halogen lamps are no longer produced. The existing stock may still be sold but with the rising popularity of LED lighting, over time these types of bulbs will have been completely replaced by LED, and for good reason. The demand for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly light sources is growing rapidly. Not only from the government but also by an increasingly aware society in terms of sustainability and environmental friendliness. But why is it that LED lighting is so much more sustainable? Below all aspects in a row:
Longer lifespan
The LED lamp is considered a true revolution in the world of light. "LED" stands for "Light Emitting Diode," or a light-emitting diode, a high-quality, energy-efficient technology with no toxins that produces as much light as traditional bulbs.
The most revolutionary thing about LED lighting is that the LED bulb can produce as many as 55,000 hours of light. For the same number of hours, you have to buy a new light bulb as many as 50 times. So the LED bulb lasts many times longer: the lifespan varies between as much as 15 to 25 years. If you think about that, it means that in a whole lifetime you only need to buy a new bulb about 4 times. How easy is that. Oh, and this also means that you create much less light bulb waste.
Energy efficient
In addition, the LED bulb is as much as 90% more energy efficient than the incandescent bulb. So it requires much less energy to run the light, so you save a lot of energy. It is calculated that the LED bulb uses 55 Watts less per hour than the incandescent bulb, which on an annual basis comes out to a difference of up to 25 kWh per year (about 5 euros). If this still seems little, consider for a moment how many light bulbs there are in one house.
Thus, if all the light bulbs in a house are replaced with LED bulbs, the house will result in significantly less environmental impact. This means that lighting your home is both good for the environment, since less energy consumption means less energy needs to be generated, but also good for the wallet.
Cost-saving
That's right. An LED bulb is indeed much more expensive than an incandescent bulb, which can be bought for a euro. But the LED bulb lasts so much longer and uses so much less energy that in the long run the LED bulb is much cheaper than the incandescent bulb.
If you save 5 euros per lamp per year in energy, and you have 20 lamps in your home, that's already 100 euros in annual savings.
Sustainable and non harmful materials
Our LED lights are manufactured with sustainable and non-harmful materials. Think aluminum and high-quality plastic that are easy to recycle if the bulb fails after an average of 40,000 hours. Because the lamps are easily recyclable, plastics and other parts will also not end up in the environment provided they are actually recycled. This is possible with us as well as with many other bulk waste points in the Netherlands.
Sustainability begins with yourself
Sustainability sounds like something that lies with the big powers. Large companies, municipalities and governments. These parties certainly influence the sustainability of society but ultimately the responsibility for sustainability lies with yourself. If everyone contributes in their own way to living more consciously and sustainably, the steps towards a sustainable society will be much bigger and faster. We have compiled a list of tips that you can follow to contribute to this important movement.
Replace your lighting with LED lighting
Of course, our first tip is to replace your lighting with LED lighting. All the benefits discussed should have removed any doubts you may have had by now. LED is the future for the environment, society and your own wallet.
Recycling old lighting and other electrical appliances
If you have taken the step to replace your lighting with LED lighting you are of course still stuck with your old lighting, what do you do with this? Traditional lighting especially halogen lighting is full of harmful substances and materials. Therefore, these should not just end up in the trash. The same goes for other old or broken electrical appliances. Therefore, never just throw these away. You can dispose of them at a recycling center near you or at another recycling point look here where you can find them.
Buying behavior
As a society, we are buying more and more and more online. Anyone who orders online knows the ease with which a product is ordered and often arrives at their doorstep the next day. Unfortunately, few people think about the consequences of this buying behavior. The cardboard boxes and plastic or cardboard filling materials that fulfill their function once and then are immediately thrown away. Logical too, you can't use them anymore. after all, they don't cost you anything either, right? Wrong, boxes and cushioning materials cost companies a huge amount of money because they are used in large numbers, the cost of which is eventually incorporated into the prices of the products. In addition, have you ever thought about the cO2 emissions from the transporters? Everyone would like to have their order as soon as possible. Preferably the same day. Companies want to attract and retain customers by offering this service. The result, thousands of products in boxes driving back and forth all day. If you order 3 different things in one day or over a week, you get 3 carriers coming your way as fast as possible. If you don't like the product after all, or you need the money for something else after all, it gets sent back.
To moderate this whole process somewhat, you can analyze your own buying behavior and adjust it if necessary. Inform yourself well about a product and contact the company if you have doubts, that way you avoid unnecessary returns. If you are going to order multiple products, try to limit different suppliers so that less transportation is needed. Buy from companies that themselves are as sustainable as possible. Leave your products in your shopping cart a little longer so you can be sure the purchase is really necessary. Often you forget you want to order something when it wasn't really needed after all.
