Celebrate Earth Day Daily by Bringing More Natural Light into Your Home with Solatube Daylighting System

Vista, CA (PRWEB) April 2, 2008 -- In honor of this year's Earth Day on Tuesday, Apr. 22, Solatube International Inc. (http://www.solatube.com), the worldwide leading manufacturer and marketer of Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs), is encouraging homeowners to celebrate Earth Day daily. The company is best known for its Solatube Daylighting System, a "green" natural lighting solution that allows homeowners to reduce their energy consumption by switching off electric lights.

Participating Solatube Premier Dealers will be offering a $60 rebate on Solatube Daylighting Systems purchased between April 13 and April 22. A rebate will also be available for Solar Star®, the solar-powered attic ventilation fan. Local dealers can be found by visiting www.solatube.com.

"The Solatube Daylighting System is a year-round, energy-saving solution, but Earth Day gives us an opportunity to remind homeowners that eco-friendly practices need not be expensive or overly complicated," said Robert E. Westfall Jr., Solatube International's vice president, sales and marketing. "Every bit makes a difference - every day."

An average home's energy use can cause more than twice the amount of greenhouse gas emissions of the average car, according to ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy that helps consumers save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Each year, 10 percent of a typical single family home's energy bill is spent on lighting. An additional 49 percent of the bill is spent on heating and cooling costs, which can be greatly impacted by electric light use and heat/gain loss from inefficient windows and skylights. However, when daylighting applications are properly applied, homeowners can greatly decrease the amount of energy used within their home. Tubular Daylighting Devices, such as the Solatube Daylighting System, cost nothing to operate and also reduce the need for mechanical cooling during peak rate hours. Installing one Solatube 160 Daylighting System can also save about 19 pounds of carbon emissions annually. Homeowners can also add a compact fluorescent Light Add-On Kit to their Solatube Daylighting System to turn the product into an all-purpose, energy-efficient lighting solution for both day and night.

Eco-Friendly Lighting Tips That Can Make a Big Difference

Turn off the electric lights. This is especially important to do during the daytime and when no one is home. If light is needed, only turn on fixtures that are necessary, and try to use as much natural light as possible. Go open those blinds.

Swap out incandescent bulbs to CFLs. ENERGY STAR notes that its qualified compact fluorescent bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer and save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime.

Add more natural light. This is a recommendation of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)'s official REGREEN standard, a new set of environmental guidelines for homeowners. Installing more windows or adding a skylight may be expensive and cumbersome, but simple solutions such as TDDs can be installed under two hours with no structural reframing required.

Solatube International Inc., based in Vista, Calif. (northern San Diego County), is the worldwide leading manufacturer and marketer of Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs). The company's flagship product, the Solatube Daylighting System, provides a revolutionary natural lighting solution for all types of residential and commercial applications and is the only spec-grade TDD currently available on the market. The maxim "Innovation in DaylightingTM" reflects the company's commitment to the development of breakthrough daylighting technologies, which has resulted in numerous patents dating back to the mid-1980s. Widely recognized as the industry innovator, Solatube International has earned acclaim around the globe for its unrivaled ability to transform interior spaces with the power of daylight. For more information on the Solatube Daylighting System or other products manufactured and marketed by Solatube International, including solar-powered attic ventilation fans, please visit the Solatube Web site (http://www.solatube.com) or call 888-SOLATUBE (888-765-2882).

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