Neon vs LED screens and their environmental impact
On the very strip of Las Vegas, the only place in the world most famous for its neon lights, many are switching to LED screens instead of neon. In fact, neon signs that are being replaced by their LED counterparts can now be found preserved in neon museums.
LEDs are much more efficient than neon in many ways. First, and most obviously, it uses less energy than neon. LED signs consume only 10 watts of electricity, while neon signs can consume up to ten times that amount. Also, neon signs need to replace your gas after about a decade, which can be expensive along with other maintenance costs. On the other hand, LEDs are known to last much longer than other forms of lighting.
For neon signs, key ingredients like argon and mercury are themselves toxic. Any damage to the signs can cause these poisonous gases to leak into the environment and the companies that own these signs may even be liable for the damage they cause.
Finally, in today’s hustle and bustle, LED displays are much more practical than neon signs. Rather than having to change the sign manually with each new advertisement while producing more waste materials in the process, LED signs can be programmed to change on the fly. They can even make use of scheduling software to display different advertisements to suit different crowds that pass by at different times of the day or on different days of the week.
There is no competition when it comes to LEDs vs. neon when it comes to the environment. LED is the way to go.
