LED 101: The GE Way

I’ve been a fan of the Light Emission Diode (LED) technology for awhile now.

It was after my purchase of a scrolling LED sign for my restaurant that I was able to really see the benefits of this lighting innovation. I spent countless hours searching online for lighting sign bargains. Throughout my quest for the best scroll sign, I stumbled upon a dozen of useful information and this infographic is one of them.

Coming from one of the most reliable providers of innovative lighting fictures, this infographic contains helpful information. GE Lighting Solutions has lent their admirable skill of simplification to this piece of work. Vital details are very easy to understand with the uncluttered design of the infographic. Facts are can easily be absorbed as well since they are stated in layman terms.

Here are some fast facts about LED lighting technology from GE:

• This technology produces light by converting electricity
• LED chips can be combined with other materials to produce a LED package or a LED system
• Four main design factors for a robust LED system: mechanical, optical, electrical and thermal
• The LED technology allows equipment to be environment-friendly, durable and controllable
• The US Department of Energy has forecasted various savings in the year 2030 for the use of LED lighting fixtures

Read through the infographic below to know more about the LED technology, its benefits and work through the positive impact it can bring to your home and business. 

What is LED?

What makes a Robust LED System?

What are the Benefits of LED?

How can LEDs Impact Us?

Are you maximizing your savings potential by using LED lighting fixtures?

Leave a comment below to share your best practices at home or in the office in terms of electricity use. Do you follow an efficient method of doing things that’s unique to your family, work place or even your restaurant? I’d love to know more about them so we can share it with everyone.

Remember that sharing can show how much you care. Let your family and friends know about the wonderful benefits of the LED lighting technology. In this way, we all get to save a couple of dollars while doing our share in saving our environment.

Photo Credits: GE Lighting Solutions

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Do This, Not That: Energy Saving Tips

In a leisurely stroll over the World Wide Web, I stumbled upon this two part infographic that gives practical tips on how to save on energy costs at home.

Infographics are supposed to be fun and informative all at the same time. Though others fail quite often, this one from Visual Loop certainly delivers! This material is eye catching, eyes to read and full of reliable information. It cites a couple of adjustments and lifestyle changes that one can do in order to save on electrical bills at home. I personally recommend them as well. For businesses, using a scrolling LED sign is a solid investment. This sign doesn’t only get messages across creatively but it saves electricity as well. If you’re a business owner with a brick and mortar store, you should get LED signs to help save on electrical bills. Every dollar you save can surely be used to grow your company.

Take these tips by heart and share with your family and friends. Visit soon to get the complete list of energy saving tips in this attractive infographic.

Image Credits to VisuaLoop

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Talk Your Way through Workplace Conflicts: Negotiating Tips That Really Work

Disagreements can never be avoided unless you live in solitary confinement. It is nothing but natural for people to have differences. After all, each of us is unique in our own right. Human resource books provide great information on how to deal with these hullabaloos. The only problem is there are tons of them. So I’ve compiled 5 practical tips that can get you from hating to hugging your co-workers in the end. Read up on these tips to be the next Mr. or Ms. Congeniality in your workplace.

1.Listen, before you speak

Unlike delivering a speech or a presentation, negotiations needs more listening than talking. Trying to reach a settlement involves two or more people most of the time thus there are more interest and options to be considered before finding a suitable answer to any dilemma.  Negotiating needs to be people-centered as well in order to resolve anything. Remember, this is not the time to bash other people or brings oneself to the pedestal. Doing so is surely a main ingredient to disasters.

2.Know your buttons

Go to the battle prepared by knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Do you get irritated with people who do not talk during confrontations? Do you have a relatively short temper or attention span? Knowing what will make you explode from the beginning will help you avoid them in the end. Looking after your emotions can make you more cautious and aware of not only yourself but your environment as well.

3.Focus on the real deal

Never loose sight of what really needs to be resolved. Stay away from touching points which are irrelevant to the main problem. If you fail to do so, you would most likely find yourself wrapped in another problem.

4.Lay your cards on the table – ask for what you want

Never be afraid to ask for what you want or else, you’ll never have it.

There is a big difference in being assertive and pushy or manipulative. Asserting means knowing what you want, asking for it and not taking NO for an answer. Always challenge the status quo to be able to exhaust all options before taking a suitable solution.

5.Kill them softly

This point is figurative in every sense – so hold your horses and revert those evil plans. During negotiations, the only thing you’d like to kill is the disagreement and stern beliefs of the other party. You’d like them to agree with you, right? Killing here means softening differences to be able to work together. You can do so by appealing to them emotionally at first or by arguing your point well so that they would understand and hopefully join your side. Never be too pushy or aggressive – being subtle is the way to go during negotiations. Offering apologies, acknowledgement of the misunderstanding that’s taking place and performing symbolic gestures nudge you in the right direction.

Never be afraid of disagreements. Welcome them with open arms and face them head on in order to get a better state. Start seeing conflicts in a different light wherein they are means of improving and connecting better with other individuals. Practice and share these tips to start living a harmonious life.

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Indoor Gardening with LED Grow Lights for a Change

For the longest time, scrolling LED sign have taken my breath away. I really thought it was a pretty neat innovation for putting signs and announcements that are more attractive to the consumer’s eyes. I believe it’s one of the best applications of the LED lighting innovation – until I came across grow lights.

Gardening is a very rewarding hobby despite all of the difficulties anyone might face. In my many years of having a love affair with different plants, I have grown attached to them. I often find myself too concerned of the survival rates of the baby plants I set outside. Like any other seasoned gardener, I know for a fact that the environment could be too harsh for seedlings to survive. Too much heat can dehydrate not only people but plants as well. If I had my way, I’d choose to grow my plants indoor first until they are strong enough to survive on their own in the great outdoors.

The moment grow lights came into the picture, I know I had solved my problem. This new method of indoor planting instantly became appealing to me. Wanting to know more about it, I researched and gather the following interesting facts about LED grow lights.

• These are said to be the best artificial lighting source for growing plants indoors.
• Emits only the red and blue wavelengths that are needed during the photosynthesis.
• It provides huge savings as regular LED lighting fixture for the home.
• They generate the right amount of heat – not too much, not too little.
• Provides the right environment for plants to thrive.
• Has a life span of about 50,000 hours.
• Environment friendly lighting fixtures that don’t contain mercury
• LED grow lights can be used with solar or wind energy to help users save even more
• Highly energy efficient

I really like how LED grow lights can provide the right amount of heat and lighting for my plant. This is very important especially in the early stages of plant growth where they are still very sensitive. Also, the targeted production of red and blue wavelengths is impressive. I know that the sun is the best source of light to date but it gives off a range of wavelengths such as orange that are not really needed by plants.

Though I have yet to try indoor gardening, it really seems like a promising method of gardening. I’d love to have fellow gardening enthusiasts to try this innovative way as well.

Are you growing your plants indoors with LED grow lights? Let me know of your experiences or what you think about it by leaving a comment below.

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Do You Still Use Interview Questions These Days?

Human resource books are irrelevant nowadays. When every company in the country is closing down, downsizing or outsourcing – who would need all of these books about hiring and keeping employees?

Reading Jeff Haden’s article on inc.com entitled “3 Interview Questions That Reveal Everything” gave me such a thought.

In the article, Haden interviews Accolo CEO John Younger who has probably interviewed thousands of people for the cloud recruiting solutions company. Quoting Haden directly on the mechanics of this hiring style:

Here's how it works. Just start from the beginning of the candidate's work history and work your way through each subsequent job. Move quickly, and don't ask for detail. And don't ask follow-up questions, at least not yet.

Go through each job and ask the same three questions:

1. How did you find out about the job? 

2. What did you like about the job before you started? 

3. Why did you leave?”

I absolutely agree that having an applicant answer these questions will reveal a considerable amount of information about the interview whether it’s good or bad which I think is very important. As a solopreneur, I know that hiring people to join my team would feel like entrusting them with one of my most priced possessions. It would always be a risk to be taken – continuing on the solo path means slower growth for my business venture but having someone to help me with certain tasks such as bookkeeping and other administrative work can enable me to focus more on the things that truly matter.

Going back to my question earlier – who would benefit from these hiring techniques in this digital age? Well, I would most certainly recommend these questions to other solopreneurs, freelancers and consultants to help them document their projects well to get better ones in the near future.

Here’s how you can use them:

How did you find out about the job?

In documenting previous work opportunities, being able to relate how you found a job can be a valuable asset. Were you referred by a previous client? Is this a repeat project from a satisfied employer? Having this information ready for future employers to see can help strengthen your credibility in the in what you do.

What did you like about the job before you started?

This question will serve you well in showcasing your skills, expertise and preferences in your work. This is important for any solopreneur because it greatly helps in creating a focused career. Taking every project handed to you by fate is alright when you are starting up but still do so after about 5 years in the industry gives prospective employers a reason to doubt your expertise as you don’t have a niche.

Why did you leave?

You may choose not to provide this information but for the sake of tracking your professional progress, it is best to evaluate every project when they end. Note the criticisms as well as the praises you receive for a project and reflect on them afterwards. Use this set of information to improve yourself.

With the global economy still struggling to survive, employees should not be afraid to jump in the see of opportunities and go solo. Though freelancing or starting a business is not for everyone, it is a great avenue for learning and growth.

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