The light bulb has come a long way since Thomas Edison’s era. Just think of LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, which are some of the most efficient types of bulb. These guys have long been used in everyday appliances. Your digital clock and light-up watch are among them. But did you know LEDs can be made of plastic? It’s true!
Indirectly, plastic helps us to save energy. That’s because LEDS deliver more than 100 lumens per watt, compared to a compact fluorescent lamp’s 50 to 70 lumens per watt. Consider the fact a typical 60-watt incandescent light bulb uses more than $300 worth of electricity per year. Compare that to an equivalent LED bulb, which uses about $30 per year and lasts 50,000 hours or longer.
Thanks to the wonders of science, the application of plastics isn’t limited to LEDs. Another recent innovation is rollable LED displays—flexible, lightweight screens for electronic devices that roll or fold up when not in use. This could make it possible for a small device to connect to a large, full-color screen.
In short, LEDs are just one one example among many of how plastics can enhance our quality of life. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? We don’t know, but we’re anxious to find out!