Jeff Dross from Kichler Lighting is a consummate professional and industry knowledge juggernaut when it comes to lighting.  I have had the opportunity to witness his webinars and personal seminars over the last several years.  As an independent sales representative for Kichler Lighting in Northern California, I am always seeking out more knowledge about the products I represent and sell to my customers.  Jeff Dross’ seminars have been invaluable.   I do receive important product knowledge facts directly from Kichler Lighting all the time.  Jeff Dross’ presentations take it to a whole new level when he is conducting a public seminar at our Dallas showroom during the International Lighting Show or conducting a webinar on Kichler’s behalf to the sales force.  
 

 

Jeff recently held a webinar on the importance of LED lighting and Kichler’s continued role and innovation with regards to LED.  The seminar outlined the technology of LED and the practical uses of it as it relates to lighting and energy consumption.  During the Dallas International Lighting Show, Jeff gave a presentation on trends in lighting designs and what will be coming in the new few months and years.  This knowledge is not only important to have as a sales rep for Kichler, but also important if you are a lighting designer or interior designer in general.
 
I highly recommend attending this webinar that 1Stop Lighting is sponsoring.  Not only will you come away with a greater understanding of industry trends, I am sure you come away many new ideas to help you in your next project and find it a valuable use of your time.

 

Summer just ended and my childhood nights chasing after fireflies are long gone. But the idea persists. I found this LED garden light in Readymade's blog. But the idea itself was created by Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.  All you need are diffused lens LEDs, CR2032 lithium coin cells, blue tape and mason pickling/jelly jars. These lights are temporary. I believe the above faux firefly lantern is based on a similar idea with a wire branch connecting four "floating" yellow LED lights. Give yourself some time to ground ship your lithium coin cells but in total, according to Mad Scientist, each LED garden light costs $1.50 max. Throw yourself a Fall party when the leaves are changing or you can go inside if it's too chilly and watch "Grave of the Fireflies".

Technical Tip: Try to match the forward voltage & current of your LED with the chosen lithium coin cell. At best, get a lithium coin cell with a built-in resistor. A fellow blogger has recommended Ohm's Law to determine the resistor value: resistance = (supply voltage - LED forward voltage) / (LED max forward current). Others have recommended using solar cells as an energy source too. Oh, the options... 

 

 

 

 

 

Some people have complained that California is overregulated and tied up in red string. But a rising national green consciousness validates one aspect of California regulation: product safety.  In 1986, Californians voted into law Proposition 65: The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act.  Prop 65, as it is better known, requires businesses to inform the state’s public about significant amounts of toxic chemicals in products purchased for the home and workplace or released into the environment.  The EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) annually publishes an updated list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects.  Prop 65 also forbids the release of these chemicals into sources of drinking water.  Businesses are required to note the amounts used and post warnings at sites and on products.  It was a proposition that anticipated such product safety alarm triggers as last year’s consumer fears about toys manufactured in China containing lead paint.

By law, 1STOPLighting, Amazon and other lighting merchants are required to give the Prop 65 warning for products that have lead content, namely crystal products. Many manufacturers use lead crystal for chandeliers.  In the manufacturing process, they add lead oxide to molten glass to produce a product with higher brilliance.  Other common things like Christmas tree lights contain lead in their PVC insulation.  For the public, lead exposure may hinder a child’s cognitive development and other health problems. But adults, not children, are responsible for the installation, cleaning and disposal of these materials.  Please wear gloves or wash your hands after handling these products.

Product Safety isn’t just a matter of allowing consumers to make informed decisions about their health. In a larger green context, your personal health belongs to a larger exposure chain.  Chemical Body Burden is the accumulation of synthetic chemicals and metals in individual bodies.More...