Lighting affects everyone in the household, from young children to elderly and could include people who are visually impaired or simply a person who wishes to be more environmentally friendly. Home lighting impacts the economics of the household as well comfort, aesthetics, and safety. Issues such as these provide a great opportunity for teamwork among Extension Agents. Since LED Lighting is the newest type of lighting on the market, the opportunity presented itself to educate clientele who are involved with programming at Todd County Kentucky Extension Office. Because of that, the Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences and Ag and Natural Resources partnered together to create a program on LED Lighting.  

The Ag Agent developed the program materials and the Todd Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences taught the program to Extension Homemakers in nine counties in the Pennyrile Area.  The initial, intermediate and long-term goals/outcomes of the LED Lighting class include that participants will:

• gain knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of LED bulbs;
• learn skills to help them choose light bulbs for their home;
• purchase light bulbs appropriate for the different tasks and rooms in their home;
• save money by purchasing more energy efficient light bulbs for their home. 

An end-of-the meeting evaluation was given to everyone who attended the program and completed by 53 people. The evaluation measured initial outcomes of participants.

Eighty-six percent of respondents reported they currently use LEDs in their home, using approximately 50% of the light bulbs they use being LEDs. They reported currently using a combination of incandescent, CFL, and LED bulbs. Additional results included:

• 100% said their next light bulb purchase would be a LED; 
• 100% said this lesson helped them understand the heat sensitivity of LED bulbs; 
• 100% reported the lesson helped them understand the directionality issues of LED bulbs;
• 100% said the lesson helped them understand the difference between “soft white” and other colors of artificial light such as “bright white” and “daylight;”
• 100% understood how to select light bulbs based on lumen output;
• 100% understood that light bulb packages are supposed to have a standard label listing light output, color, expected life and energy use;
• And 100% understood that LEDs are the most energy efficient and practical bulbs available for most traditional home uses.

One person who saw the LED lighting display when he visited the Extension Office changed to cool LED bulbs when his incandescent bulbs shot a few days later.  A follow-up evaluation is planned for 3-6 months after the program.