Off-Grid Lighting With Battery Powered "BEAMS"

I know, I know...everyone wants to advertise that they subscribe to "green". We've all been suckered into buying more bags rather than reusing the recyclable plastic bags that were the norm for so many years (true, the ones you buy are sturdier with handles), everyone has reusable water bottles, and we all talk a good game about buying local. Talk is cheap! I do those things, too, but I still love a good deal on bottled water (even though tap water is free--we have a well, even) and will compromise my family's health for produce shipped from South America over local peppers if it means saving a buck. Did you languish in the heat this summer rather than conserve energy by cutting back on the AC? We didn't. So what are some other things that we could be doing to promote a healthy planet without sacrificing convenience? (Now you know this is going to involve wireless lights.)

We're constantly touting Mr Beams products as reliable and cost-effective. The battery operated lights manufactured by Wireless Environment allow anyone the luxury of light wherever you need it--the products install in minutes, no wires, and are extremely low maintenance. With the exception of changing the batteries, you really don't need to do a thing. Guess what? There's an off-grid lighting solution. Two things to support that claim: the first is that you are not drawing from an electric grid. All Mr Beams products are battery operated and last 1-2 years under most conditions. (Mr Beams lights are IP44 rated, which means you can use them inside and outdoors. True, they're not immersible, but were you going to put them in your bathtub or pool anyway?) Second, the lights activate only when they sense motion. So it gets dark. Lights stay dark. You walk near the light (most models sense light from up to 18' away) and the light turns on, stays on until motion ceases, then shuts off automatically. Light only when you need it. No wasting electricity when you wander into the bathroom at night--the Stick Anywhere Night Light gives you just enough light to get the job done.

Here's a great place for a Mr Beams light for our family (and I'm guessing we're not alone). We have a freezer downstairs. At least one ingredient, usually meat, comes out of that freezer for our dinner, which means a minimum of one trip a day to the basement to retrieve something from the freezer. I snap the light on at the top of the stairs automatically before heading down. When I get downstairs, I turn on one, maybe two lights on the way to the freezer. I'm in the freezer for approximately ten seconds while I grab the roast of choice (or chunk of frozen hamburger), then retrace my steps--light two=off; light one=off; then it's up the stairs before turning the stairway light off. Entire transaction takes maybe thirty seconds. Now--doesn't it make a lot more sense to install a couple of Mr Beams lights along that path rather than flipping currents on and off along the way? With a Ceiling Light in the stairway I can make my way up and down the steps safely--even with my hands full, since I don't need to turn any lights on or off. With a couple of Stick Anywheres on the wall, I can find the freezer, get what I need, and hike back up to the kitchen--all without turning on or off any lights. Truthfully, I can make that trip with my eyes closed, but what a great message to send to the kids--"light only when you need it."

I can think of dozens of other places where I waste electricity, bags, water. I am going to try to do a better job at managing my resources. We say we are, we say we try...let's do more.

How do you make a difference? Tell us your story at info@mrbeams.com.

Lights Can Deter Bears

With bear attacks in the media, we thought it would be appropriate to acknowledge several preventive measures to keep you and your family safe while enjoying a camping experience.

Experts agree that keeping cooking to a minimum is a must--like most animals, including humans, bears respond to odors--if they're hungry or curious and they smell food, they are going to investigate. Keep your food in a bag or sling and hang it over a tree branch, away from your campsite. Additionally, bears are curious about smells issued from cosmetics, toothpaste, candles.

Make sure you have pepper spray to use in an emergency. Though that would mean an attack is in progress, it is better to have a can at the ready--even if it only buys you a few minutes; those few minutes can mean the difference between making it to a safe location and, well, not.

Bring light. Plug a couple of Mr Beams battery operated Spotlights into the ground near (but away) from your campsite. The LED lights activate using a motion detection technology. If a bear wanders onto your turf and the light is activated by its motion, there is a good probability that the action of the light will effectively startle the bear away.

Finally, use your head and do your homework. Does your destination have a history of bear attacks? What is the bear population in the area? What is the season? It's madness to expose your family to any prospective dangers, let alone one that exposes them to a situation where there are no physical barriers to protect them.

Bottom line--enjoy the great outdoors responsibly. Minimize exposing food on your site. Leave theYankee Candles at home. Have pepper spray on hand. And for heaven's sake, preempt any "bear temptations" by installing some Spotlights on your site. Have fun!

More on Mr Beams lighting options and ideas at the Idea Center on www.mrbeams.com.