Want to light up your backyard, but are cautious of your impact to the environment in order to do so? Go green! Check out the best eco-friendly lighting options for your backyard.

Spring is here, and it is about that time we sit in our backyards with our family and friends for that Sunday brunch picnic which could later extend to the evening. Our backyard provides extra utility space in our homes. Bring out the patio furniture, get the grill ready, and a big round table to sit around to feast. Let us invite our friends for a barbecue sleepover party. Oh, wait! Something is missing. We need efficient lighting, not just for these events, but to illuminate our backyards.

In the world today, home lightings are beyond illumination and aesthetics. It goes as far as taking a toll on our overall well-being. To this end, we should go for the best of them. Eco-friendly lighting options reduce the risk of exposing the environment to further degradation, however, providing the illumination we need. With the integration of solar energy into LED bulbs, lighting has never been easier and safer. Though it may come at a price, it is worth the investment. There are other eco-friendly ways to bring light to your backyard; this post will illuminate those options for you.

Choosing the Right Bulbs | CFL Bulbs vs. LED Bulbs

When considering lighting options for your backyard or outdoor patio, you should go for the energy-saving bulbs as they can be environmentally friendly. But how do we identify them? How do we know which one to choose? There are two common types of lighting that are both well-sufficient and efficient for your backyard and outdoor patio. Check them out below.

CFL Bulbs

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CFL bulbs are the acronym for Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. These bulbs are the small swirly ones we see a lot. They are shaped like an ice cream cone; however, you can find them in different shapes, sizes, and light colors. They can be electric powered, and they produce ultraviolet light.

Though CFL bulbs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, some are energy-start rated. This means they meet the government’s standards and are environmentally sustainable, at least to some point.

The highlight of CFL bulbs is that they consume 75% less energy than our regular incandescent bulbs and even last 10 times longer. In other words, they can be a very good investment in the long run as they allow you to save energy and money too. Similarly, they emit low heat, so you don’t have much on your cooling load during summer.

CFL features a mercury content, which can be a downside to this lighting option and is also temperature sensitive. In addition, CFL bulbs require frequent disposal and may get burnt if the switch is frequently toggled. Most of these bulbs are manufactured in China, but you will find them at stores in the United States.

LED Bulbs

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LED bulbs are the abbreviation for Light Emitting Diodes. They feature a technology that allows the bulb to produce enormous lighting and makes them last a lifetime.

After several research and studies, Professor Patricia Rizzo of the Lighting Research Centre concluded that LED bulbs are semiconductors. It is made from materials that conduct electricity and heat (like metals) and insulators (like wood). In addition, they are suitable for any temperature. They consume lower power and turn off instantly.

The LED bulbs may have a high purchasing price, but after that, you get to enjoy the value of your money and even have more in your pocket. They are a very good investment. Yes, they cost more than CFL bulbs, but they also save a more significant amount of energy and could last a lifetime. A standard LED bulb can reduce energy consumption by 80% to 90% and could last hundreds of hours.

The only solid disadvantage aligned with the LED bulb is its unavailability in all regions. Its relatively high purchase price is less of a disadvantage as it has future benefits.

Incandescent Lighting 

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This is a primal means of modern-day lighting, which has been around for over a hundred years. This bulb features an inert gas with a wire filament hat ac as a conductor. It produces very high heat and little visibility. In addition, have a very short life expectancy, which does not exceed 1,000 hours. However, it is very cheap and not a very suitable option for lighting anymore.

So, which lighting option is best? It solely depends on your preferences. Each light has its unique characteristic and features. Even incandescent lighting has its unique characteristic. People still use candles and torches today just to satisfy a particular mood. If you are after creativity and art, leave the CFL bulbs out as they have nothing to offer in this effect.

Eco-Friendly Lighting for your backyard: Options

Are you looking for the best options to illuminate your backyard and patio? Definitely. If not, then how did you get here? Well, it is no big deal. It is always good to make your findings before stepping out to make that purchase, especially when various options are laying around. We have examined these various options and highlighted the best of them for you. Here, you will find some of the best eco-friendly ways to bring light to your backyard.

Eco-Friendly Lighting for your backyard: Solar Strings Lanterns 

Solar string lanterns are solar powered. You can tell from its name. They feature LED bulbs. With this, you know that they will likely last forever while providing the brightest and clearest illumination in your backyard. Let’s not forget the aesthetics this lighting adds.

Though the solar string lanterns may be expensive to purchase, they can be very cost-effective in the long run as you don’t have to spend on repairing or replacing them. Plus, they are good energy-saving bulbs, so it also saves you the cost of electricity.

The solar string lantern features little paper lanterns hanging on a string of tiny LED bulbs that can be wrapped around trees in the backyard, hung on the patio umbrella, or on the railings on the porch. Remember, it is solar powered so always pop the solar panel n the ground during the day to get it fully charged.

Eco-Friendly Lighting for your backyard: Tiki Torches

The Tiki torches serve double functions. They are mosquito repellents, and they also serve their primary function, which is providing illumination to your backyard. If mosquitos infest your backyard, or little insects are always perching and disturbing, you might want to consider the Tiki torches.

Any plant-based fuel can power the Tiki torches. Petroleum is a big NO! olive oil could work too, or you could make your fuel by mixing olive oil with 20 to 40 drops of lemongrass oil or citronella. We recommend you light your Tiki torches before stepping out to enjoy a bug-free and tropically-lit experience.  

The Tiki torches look like your Polynesian torch but taller. You can plant them into the ground in your garden to give more aesthetic quality while providing illumination. They can also serve as pathway lighting. Tiki torches are also available as mini lamps for your patio table.

Eco-Friendly Lighting for your backyard: Fairy Lights 

Is it Christmas yet? Why do we need the fairy lights or holiday lights? Instead of packing them away to the basement or attic, you could use them to light up your garden and outdoor patio. They can also be styled in different ways to provide various aesthetic options.

These lights are your regular fairy lights and holiday lights and are powered electrically, so make sure you plug them into the nearest outdoor extension cable before setting them up.

You can string them on the branches of your trees, the tree trunk, or even on the fence. As we said earlier, they provide many aesthetic options and feature twinkling lights that may switch colors at intervals.

Eco-Friendly Lighting for your backyard: Solar Path Lights

This is a very great investment for your backyard lighting. Relatively cheap to acquire, inexpensive to maintain, and environmentally friendly. The Solar path lights give the outdoors a luxurious look at a dispensable amount.

The Solar path lights are easy to install. After installing the lights, you place the panels on the floor when the sun is up to allow them to charge. They feature LED bulbs and rechargeable batteries. With this, you can rest assured that there will be no need for repair and replacement in the future.

Furthermore, they illuminate automatically. The solar path light features daylight and nighttime sensor technology. With this, you don’t have to worry about switching off the lights during the day to conserve energy as they automatically come on at night and go back off during the day.

Eco-Friendly Lighting for your backyard: Conclusion 

Now, choosing that light for your backyard shouldn’t be so hard anymore. You might also want to consider smart lighting options. They are the best to conserve energy. Smart lights usually feature technologies like body and motion sensors and daylight and nighttime sensors to switch the light on and off automatically. We should also consider the eco-friendly ones as they are safer for the environment and us. So let us keep an eye out for recycled or reusable materials for our lights.