Switch Lighting Unveils New LED Light Bulbs for Earth Day

It’s Earth Day 2011, and LED light bulb manufacturers are seizing the day by releasing new LED-based lighting systems for the public (and the environment) to enjoy. One such manufacturer is Switch Lighting, a company that just unveiled a very unique range of LED light bulbs that put a whole new spin on illumination.

Switch Lighting’s new LED bulbs feature a cluster of LEDs, strategically arranged inside a glass bulb—similar to that of incandescent bulbs. This design is an obvious twist to the filaments found in an incandescent light bulb; the concept is similar, but the design couldn’t be any more different. And because the LEDs are cleverly arranged, the bulb is fully capable of providing a 360° beam spread—a problem with LEDs, which give off directional light.

According to Brett Sharenow, Switch Lighting CFO, the company hopes that the new LED light bulb can help light up the future. The executive was proud to say the bulb is completely free of mercury—found in all CFLs—or any other toxic substance, making it infinitely easier to dispose of and recycle. Sharenow adds that the new bulb allows consumers to do 3 things: saving energy, helping the environment, and of course, saving money.

LEDs have long had problems with lighting quality. Most old LED-based systems produced a sickly bluish light, paling in comparison to the warm and attractive light of incandescent bulbs. LEDs also used to have problems with thermal management, which limited their lifespan significantly.

Switch Lighting’s new bulbs seem to have learned from the lessons of the past. The new bulbs now generate a more attractive light at 2,700 Kelvin. Thermal management is ensured thanks to unique cooling fins, a design seemingly taken from cooling fins found in CPUS. This allows for good heat dissipation, and a profound increase in lifespan.

Switch’s bulbs are designed as a replacement for 75- and 60-watt incandescent bulbs. Both products have an impressive lifespan of up to 20,000 hours of continuous use. Switch has also done all they can to make sure the bulbs are affordable enough for budget-conscious consumers without compromising lighting quality and performance. 

Those eager to purchase Switch Lighting’s LED bulbs will have to wait a little longer, as manufacturing in the United States is only set to begin later this year. Switch executives peg the price of these bulbs at less than $15 each, making them some of the cheapest LEDs on the market.