If you’ve read our blog for any length of time, you know we’re pretty enthusiastic about light. At Pegasus Lighting, we love writing about lighting design, technology, news, advice, art, and more. BUT we also love to read about it. For today’s post, I decided it was high time to send a shout-out to some of our favorite lighting blogs, magazines, and websites. Each one is run by passionate individuals and offers a unique perspective on the lighting industry. And you better believe they keep us on our toes.

So without further ado…

To indulge your inner lighting geek, check out Lighting Science’s company blog. You’ll learn things like how lighting affects sea turtle behavior, what it can do to our sleeping patterns, and more. The best part – Lighting Science is actively solving these problems with new, creative lighting technology!

Here’s a bright post:

Lighting designer James Bedell shares his unique blend of expert knowledge, honest opinions, and passion for lighting on his personal blog, and it’s well worth a read. Some days he’ll share practical tips about how to light your home, while other days might be some fascinating insight about what we can learn from a sunrise.

Here’s a bright post: 

When you’re in the mood to look at something pretty, or cool, or crazy, it’s time to navigate over to Lightopia’s Light Public. The lighting enthusiasts on this blog post about commerical lighting design, fine art, and photography mostly – and it will blow your mind.

Here’s a bright post: 

Electrical contractors and electricians work with electrical wire color codes on a daily basis. But if you’re not one of these professionals, you might be wondering what the different colors of electrical wiring signify.

The simple explanation is that every color used for electrical wiring has a specific meaning, with different colors indicating different circuit types and purposes. Electrical contractors and electricians understand the color codes, but a simple guide can help you understand their significance.

Before beginning, though, it’s important to realize that different countries use different wiring color codes. In some countries, all permissible wiring colors are specified by the applicable governing body, but in others only a few specific types of wiring are required to have specific colors. In those countries, the colors used for some types of wiring are simply established by local practices followed by electrical contractors and electricians. Again, electrical contractors and electricians will be familiar with the wiring colors used in their localities.

So, the meaning of any given wiring color may vary from country to country. It can all get a bit complicated, but here’s a helpful guide to the significance of various colors used for common types of AC (alternating current) electrical wiring in different parts of the world.

American electrical contractors and electricians are required to follow the National Electrical Code (“NEC”) with regard to wiring colors. NEC imposes the following electrical wiring color standards:

In theory, wiring conducting live current in the U.S. is permitted to be any other color, although in practice, electrical contractors and electricians follow these local conventions:

Most countries in Europe, including the U.K., now follow the color conventions established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (“IEC”). These color conventions are as follows:

Electrical wiring in Canada is governed by the Canadian Electric Code (“CEC”). The following wiring color requirements apply in Canada:

It’s important to remember that the above color information applies only to AC circuits. Completely different color standards apply to wiring used in DC circuits.

Because of our home state’s ample supply of oil, Texas isn’t always the first place that comes to mind when people hear the term “green energy.” However, recent research is showing that Texans may be embracing renewable solutions more than the rest of the country is giving them credit for.

A new report released by Choose Energy, a San Francisco-based company that helps people choose energy plans within deregulated electricity markets (like that of Texas) revealed some data that may surprise people. The company found that Texas residents select 100% green energy plans more than any other state, with 1 in 3 customers choosing renewable-sourced electricity plans (i.e. electricity coming from wind or solar power). That’s more than both Connecticut and New York, two states that most people would expect to have exponentially higher numbers of green customers. However, in both markets, fewer than 10 percent of customers were selecting green plans.

We generate more electricity than any other state in the U.S. In 2012 alone, Texas pumped out 14,201 trillion BTUs of electricity. To put this number into perspective: Montana, the nation’s #2 producer of electricity, only generated 9,611 trillion BTUs in the same year.

But not only do we produce the most electricity, we also produce more green energy than any other state! We have over 100 wind power plants across the state. In fact, we lead the nation in wind-generated electricity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that in 2013, our state generated around 36 million megawatt hours of electricity from wind energy. If that weren’t enough, our solar industry continues to grow as well.

Renewable energy is both plentiful and affordable in the Lone Star State, so it makes sense that more and more customers are jumping on the green bandwagon every year. But Choose Energy also suggests that even in situations where green energy might be more costly than “brown” energy, Texans still opt for the more environmentally-conscious plan in support of energy independence.

Even with our reputation as an oil-friendly state, Texas is leading the way in green electricity. As a company committed to reducing our own energy consumption and creating a healthier, safer world, we’re excited to see so many people adopting renewable, sustainable solutions for their energy needs. When consumers purchase 100% green plans, it increases the demand for efficient energy, which propels the green sector even further into success.