INTELLIGENT LIGHTING “KICKSTARTS”
THE GLOBAL LIGHT BULB REVOLUTION
How many women does it take to change a light bulb?
The answer to that burning question is only two, at least when you’re talking about a pair of high-powered females like Lisa Landau, CEO of Intelligent Lighting, and Heather Atwell, VP of Intelligent Lighting. Landau and Atwell have taken the Edison light bulb and changed it into a brand new invention that combines their new energy-efficient advanced filament technology light bulb with their patented, UL listed PowerDiscTM technology. The two-part system, “eCandescentTM: The Last Bulb You’ll Ever Need,” is extremely long-lasting, and reduces energy consumption dramatically while eliminating the hazards of mercury, phosphor, EMFs and ultraviolet radiation, all inherent dangers in today’s CFL (Compact Florescent Lighting) bulbs.
With this proprietary first that heralds the next generation in lighting, Landau and Atwell are questing to start a global light bulb revolution, one that proves it’s easy being green as well as having a bulb that’s energy efficient, safe, and cost effective. To that avail, they will be asking the world community at large to take part in their KickStarter.com Campaign, beginning on October 6, 2014, where they will debut the eCandescentTM light bulb system. Landau and Atwell’s goal is to raise funds to bring this product to market in a major way, with the
support of a concerned public behind them, while raising awareness about the dangers of CFLs.
“The eCandescentTM two-part system combines the best of old and new technologies,” explains Landau. “You get the warm glow of the Edison light bulb, which now has an advanced filament technology that reduces energy consumption by 50 percent. Then, when you add our patented PowerDiscTM technology, the energy consumption is reduced by a total of 73 percent — the PowerDiscTM itself reduces energy consumption by up to 42 percent and extends the life of the bulb 100 times. That means, for example, that our 100 Watt equivalent eCandescentTM will operate at 27 Watts and, a bulb that normally lasts 1,300 hours will now last 130,000 hours. The PowerDiscTM is a high-tech, solid-state rectifier that converts 120 volts of alternating current (AC) to approximately 85 volts of direct current (DC), and easily adheres to the base of the bulb before it is inserted into the socket.
“At 27 Watts, the eCandescentTM is just as energy efficient as a CFL “curly” bulb,” she continues. “Plus, it is unbelievably long-lasting. CFLs claim that they will last three to five years and LEDs claim a 10- to 20-year bulb life. But if you read the fine print, they will only last that long if they are used a maximum of three hours a day. On the other hand, if you use our eCandescentTM the same three hours a day, it will last over 100 years. It would truly be the last bulb you’ll ever need. Using eCandescentTM 24/7, it will still last an incredible 10-plus years. And that’s guaranteed…., it’s something that no other bulb can even come close to. When it hits the market, the eCandescentTM system will retail starting at $9.95.”
While energy conservation and cost are important, the safety hazards of CFLs are a prime concern. Landau and Atwell acknowledge that despite numerous articles printed on the subject, most people are totally unaware of the dangers to their families and their homes. Landau and Atwell want to educate everyone about the risks involved in simply flipping a light switch that turns on a CFL.
“Eighty percent of all light bulb sales today are CFLs,” informs Atwell. Each CFL can contain up to 5 mg. of mercury, which is a neurotoxin and one of the most toxic and hazardous elements on earth. One broken CFL has the potential to contaminate 6,000 gallons of water. It is actually against the law in most states to throw burnt-out or broken CFL light bulbs in the trash. There are three pages on the EPA’s website of specific procedures and safety rules a person has to follow in order to properly clean up a broken CFL bulb — it is considered a toxic chemical spill. The EPA even has guidelines for merely being in the proximity of a CFL. CFLs are a fire hazard risk and they can explode without warning. They emit high levels of UV radiation – in reality, you should be wearing sunscreen when you are near a CFL. CFLs also produce EMFs, high voltage transients, which contaminate your electrical system and pollute the inside of your home with ‘dirty electricity’ just by turning the bulbs on.
“It’s a scary fact – CFLs are very dangerous,” she reiterates. “Not only is there mercury in a CFL bulb but CFLs are coated in phosphor. If phosphor comes in contact with skin wounds, it prevents those wounds from healing. In addition, there are numerous other documented adverse side effects of fluorescent lighting, including headaches, dizziness, ADHD, stress, anxiety, depression, elevated insulin levels in diabetics… and the list goes on.”
Atwell’s comments are backed by solid research. As one example, an article in National Geographic cites a 2012 study by Stony Brook University researchers, which found that most CFL bulbs have defects that allow UV radiation to leak at levels that could damage skin cells if a person is directly exposed at close range. The study’s lead researcher, materials science and engineering professor Miriam Rafailovich, told National Geographic News that she believes that the defects occur during manufacturing or shipping, which she feels can be remedied, but, in the meantime, she recommends that users shield the bulbs inside fixtures, stay one to two feet away from them, and avoid staring directly into the CFL bulb. That advice is basically consistent with the EPA’s safety recommendations.
The concerns about CFL safety are worldwide. In fact, schools in Germany are doing special fire drills so that children know what to do when a CFL breaks. The drills basically teach kids to “run fast out of the room” because as the mercury from the bulb evaporates in the air, it quickly gets into the lungs and bloodstream.
On the contrary, one has absolutely nothing to fear with the eCandescentTM. The fully dimmable non-toxic bulb contains no mercury or phosphor. It does not emit unsafe levels of EMFs (Electromagnetic Fields) nor does it give off any UV (Ultraviolet) radiation. There are no hazardous waste disposal fees associated with it. It is safe around the entire family, including pregnant women, children, the elderly, and pets. Moreover, the eCandescentTM produces the highest quality light available. With a CRI of 100, it reveals true colors faithfully when compared to a natural light source.
THE ENLIGHTENING BACKSTORY
As for how Landau and Atwell came to want to help others see the light about a green, safe, energy efficient source of lighting, it all began back in 1979 with Landau’s father, Michael Sunstein, who, at 30 years old was the youngest division president of KB Homes. Because the lights in the model homes were always on 24/7, the company was constantly changing light bulbs.
“We were living in Detroit but my father’s father had a manufacturing plant in Chicago,” Landau recalls. “He brought the idea and a finished prototype of what ultimately became the PowerDiscTM to my dad. The PowerDiscTM itself can be used on most bulbs, including chandelier bulbs and flood lights up to 350 watts. My dad had light bulbs that were powered by the PowerDiscTM installed in all the model homes and 45 days later, they were all still burning. That’s when my dad knew that he had to leave KB and go into business with my grandfather on the PowerDiscTM.”
After going through the process of getting the product patented and UL tested and listed, in 1982, Michael Sunstein was introduced to Muhammad Ali by a good friend. In June of 1982, Ali, truly “The Greatest” at that time and one who rarely accepted promotion offers, became a member of the board and the spokesperson for the PowerDiscTM, Ali’s goal was to promote the product to Africa and other underdeveloped countries. Through Ali and Nate Rogers, who was a major shareholder in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Sunstein was also able to get the product into the porte-cocheres of the MGM Grand (now Bally’s) and Circus Circus in Las Vegas, each of which went through thousands of incandescent bulbs every month. Years later, the original bulbs powered by the PowerDiscTM, were still burning.
Meanwhile, sales of the PowerDiscTM began exploding. The Mayor of Detroit was convinced of its performance when Sunstein went to Kmart and brought back to the mayor’s office two small desk lamps, each with a two-hour photography bulb. On one of the bulbs, Sunstein attached the PowerDiscTM. The bulb without the PowerDiscTM burned out in two hours as expected. The other bulb with the PowerdiscTM lasted for over two weeks burning 24/7. Sunstein began franchising the PowerDiscTM worldwide. And then, the unimaginable happened – an order came in from Egypt for one billion PowerDiscsTM.
“My dad couldn’t do it on his own; he needed help,” Landau remembers. “Now, here comes a renowned major worldwide retailer. My dad ended up signing his entire company over to this retailer. I have a press release dated May 1984 that states that this retailer entered into an agreement with my dad’s company for the PowerDiscTM and that they were expecting a minimum of $76.5 million in sales. This retailer was going to include it in their 1984 summer catalogue and make it available to their entire consumer and commercial base.
“Then, in June 1984, one month later, this retailer filed bankruptcy and wouldn’t give my dad his company back,” she continues. “Besides being absolutely devastated, my father was completely wiped out financially and had no way to fight because no law firm would take on this major retailer without a million-dollar retainer. Not only did it destroy our family but it also opened the door for CFLs to flourish.”
Several years later, circa the year 2000, under the terms of his contract and the recourse period, Sunstein was able to get the patent and rights to the PowerDiscTM back. But because a patent is only good for so long, he had to tweak the product, which meant going through the design process and testing all over again, which took years and a lot of money. Sadly, in 2006, Sunstein suffered a stroke and died in 2008. The new PowerDiscTM was patent-pending at the time of his death.
The task of reviving the PowerDiscTM fell to Landau’s brother, Jason. But in 2011, in the process of starting two companies and finding that he could not devote the proper time to it, he asked Landau to take it over.
“I knew I had a decision to make,” Landau says. “I had been working in the alternative cancer treatment industry for many years from which my desire to help people grew immensely. In fact, I had met Heather when she brought her father, noted commercial land developer and owner of Resort Properties of America, David Atwell, to the facility where I worked for treatment for his cancer. As it happened, as I was trying to decide whether or not to leave my job, I was laid off due to the economy. I knew then that I was meant to bring back the PowerDiscTM. A friend I had met at the clinic named Bonnie Endres had so much faith and belief in the PowerDiscTM and in me that she invested the $20,000 I needed to get the attorneys to release the patent – without her, I wouldn’t be here. Four months later, I decided to pick up the phone and call Heather.”
Together, Landau and Atwell have taken a journey and have overcome many obstacles in their path to bring the two- part system “eCandescentTM: The Last Bulb You’ll Ever Need” to the public. Now they are excited about “KickStarting” the global light bulb revolution.
Both Landau and Atwell know that sometimes it takes a village to shed new light on an existing issue and illuminate the way to the future. More information on the groundbreaking eCandescent can be found online at www.ecandescent.com.