Brighten Up!

Natural light is a very valuable thing in the Northwest. A lack of natural light and vitamin D can really make you and your family cranky!

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is experienced by 6 out of every 100 people in the United States and is more prominent in the northern hemisphere where winters are longer and the days are shorter.  Symptoms can be a change in appetite, craving starchy and sweet foods, weight gain, a drop in energy level, oversleeping, and a list of other mood changing behaviors. Treatment for SAD, in some cases, is very simple… More natural daylight.

The first step to medicate for SAD is more exposure to daylight. Getting more exposure to sunlight is the most natural way to treat SAD as well as other common ailments. Getting outside for at least 25 minutes everyday and soaking up natural light and allowing the light to reach your eyes is one way to treat SAD and ensure a healthier life. In the Northwest, it may be easier said than done to get outside and soak up 25 minutes of daylight or sun, but there are still several things you can do to help alleviate your sunless blues.

Rather than driving to the store, get out and take a walk, do some yard work, read a book or have a picnic in the park, and in the winter, making a trip to the mountains where the sunlight is intensified when it bounces off the white capped slopes, these are all things you can do to help your mood and stay healthy. You can also bring the natural light to you, in your home with Solatube Daylighting Systems. Enjoy your health and natural light in your home now and everyday after to come.

Sunday news, Herald story about Screen D

Sunday news, Herald story about Screen Doors! Check out the link for the full details featuring Torre Dahl, co-owner http://ow.ly/5I8Ah

4th of July – Fun with Family & Friends!

NW Natural Lighting is a family owned company. What that means for us is that the 4th of July holiday will be spent celebrating our Independence with family and friends. Every year we hear about the fun that our customers have planned and we share their spirit of excitement.  (Consequently, after the party is over if you need your Mirage Retractable Screen rescreened we can help with that! ) We will be closed on Monday the 4th, open on Tuesday regular hours. We hope everyone has a safe, fun-filled celebration!

The Team @ NW Natural Lighting

Psst, check out our links on the right for more info about our company!

GRAND OPENING!!! May: The Month of Growth

The month of April was filled with events and Earth Day celebrations, everyone was thinking green and now we will all be seeing green, with nature in full bloom. NW Natural Lighting is growing too, into a new location with a big and bright showroom and to celebrate, we are having a Grand Opening event, May 21^st from 10am to 2 pm!!! Come celebrate our 17^th year in business at our new location and enjoy refreshments and savings! Or come see us at the Green Festival, which is taking place the same weekend (at Qwest Field Saturday 21^st and Sunday 22^nd) because as plants begin to grow, the weather warms up and the sun begins to shine down, homeowners are in full swing of home improvements. Our products can help with various home “To-Dos” on your spring checklist. So come see us this weekend and celebrate Spring Savings!

Preparing for Earth Day

NW Natural Lighting is preparing for Earth Day:

The month of April is a very Green month, and we are busy getting the word out about how our products can help your house become a more efficient home.

Home improvement projects come in all shapes and sizes. Many people put off doing home improvements because they may not realize the potential payback, or they may simply want to avoid the expense. But if you start to grimace at the amount of your utility bills, especially electricity prices, it’s time to give serious consideration into energy saving options.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, consumers spend 6% to 12% of their income on utilities. As a result, many homeowners are starting to see this as a major expense.

In an average home, utility usage breaks down like this:

• 40% – Heating and Cooling
• 34% – Appliances
• 10% – Miscellaneous
• 9% – Lighting
• 7% – Home Entertainment and Communications.

 Here are some more facts that will get you thinking GREEN:

• More than 1/3 of all energy is used by people at home
• Each person throws away approximately four pounds of garbage every day.
• One bus carries as many people as 40 cars!
• The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four hours
• Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees
• The amount of wood and paper we throw away is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years
• 84 percent of all household waste can be recycled.
• One gallon of motor oil can contaminate up to 2 million gallons of water, so dispose of properly!
• Here is an example of how long it takes some things take to break down:

Plastics take 500 years,
Aluminum cans take 500 years,
Organic materials, take 6 months,
Cotton, rags, paper take 6 months.

For a look at our products visit us at: http://www.nwnaturallighting.com/

Happy April!!!

This month we have several events as well as different ways to help you save money! This Saturday the 9th we will be holding an Open House/Earth Day event at our showroom in Edmonds; light refreshments, products to view, drawings and our knowledgable staff will all be here. NWNL will be throughout different communities all month, CLICK HERE to find out about all of our events.

With the extra daylight that spring has to offer, here are some fun facts about natural light:

In an energy-conscious society, many designers and consumers are looking for ways to cut costs while promoting better energy-saving practices. Utilizing natural lighting is a great way to create a sense of organic unity within a space as well as lift mood and productivity levels.

Human Response

• Known as daylighting, the use of natural light lifts spirits and encourages natural harmony within an area. A daily dose of sunshine has been proven to have positive effects in an individual’s overall sense of well-being.

In the Workplace

• Well-lit environments encourage productivity among workers. Natural lighting reduces eye strain and decreases absenteeism rates in the workplace, according to designer Neera Gulati of Solatube Corp.

Design-Related Advantages

• Proper lighting is a significant element in a well-planned interior space. Utilizing natural lighting makes spaces appear larger and cuts the need for artificial fluorescent lighting, which requires maintenance and is less aesthetically pleasing in a design concept.

Tubular Skylight Information

 • Solatube lighting provides a natural alternative to traditional box skylights, which some associate with leaking, energy loss and condensation. Controlled by a diffuser lens, tubular skylighting allows daylight to be captured from the rooftop and redirected as a consistent stream of light into an interior space.

Cost Factor • According to Neera Gulati, daylighting techniques can reduce lighting bills by up to 75 percent. This is because artificial lighting produces more heat and requires more air conditioning to offset the heat generated.

For more information about Solatubes or other products of NW Natural Lighting, Visit us @ http://www.nwnaturallighting.com/

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

This weekend, March 26th and 27th, NW Natural Lighting will be in the north-end as well as the south (King and Pierce County). March 26th we will be in Woodinville supporting a community event; Woodinville Arts & Crafts Fair and All Fools’ Day Parade. March 26th and 27th NW Natural Lighting will be sponsoring and exhibiting at the Tacoma Spring Wedding Expo, located at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall. Here, soon-to-be brides can start to plan their weddings by meeting many of Seattle wedding professionals all in one location as well as find out how NW Natural Lighting can help with home improvements on their new home together; stop by booth # 709 and Say “I Do” to Lighting & Brightening Your New Nest! Bring your girlfriends, mothers and even your fiancé and take advantage of the Show savings!

Tickets are $15 PRINT YOUR 2 FOR 1 COUPON NOW!

10 Tips for Attending a Bridal Show: 

• Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. You’ll be glad you did.
• Be prepared to register at the door. Be patient! This is well worth it.
• Bring preprinted self-adhesive address labels if you have them. Remember your name, address, phone, email, and wedding date. This will save you time and allow you to sign up for anything you want very quickly.
• Bring a pen and print very clearly when registering for anything.
• Bring your checkbook in case you decide to book services or hold dates with a deposit. Be sure to check on refund policies before giving any money, and read the contract carefully before signing.
• Collect any information you are interested in – take it home to look over again when you have some quiet time.
• If you cannot attend, send someone in your place to register you for prizes and collect information on services you need.
• It is nice if your fiance attends with you IF he is interested? Many guys attend, so he won’t be the only one there!
• Arrive at least one hour prior to the fashion show. Seating is usually first-come first-served and you can use this time to rest your feet.
• Relax and have fun — this is your wedding.

DON’T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK

Daylight Saving! (March 13th)

Fun Facts:

 *In 1883 the U.S. railroad industry established official time zones with a set standard time within each zone. Congress eventually came on board, signing the railroad time zone system into law in 1918.

*More available daylight increases energy savings while decreasing the number of traffic accidents, traffic fatalities, and incidences of crime.

*There’s a spike in heart attacks during the first week of daylight saving time, according to another study published last year. The loss of an hour’s sleep may make people more susceptible to an attack, some experts say. When daylight saving time ends in the fall, heart attacks briefly become less frequent than usual.

*Two states—Arizona and Hawaii—and four U.S. territories—American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—don’t observe daylight saving time. Indiana adopted DST in 2006.

*Congress noted other advantages while updating legislation in 1986, including “more daylight outdoor playtime for the children and youth of our Nation, greater utilization of parks and recreation areas, expanded economic opportunity through extension of daylight hours to peak shopping hours and through extension of domestic office hours to periods of greater overlap with the European Economic Community.”

 -Enjoy the extra evening light!

To find out how you can take advantage of natural light in your home, visit us at www.nwnaturallighting.com

Spring Forward with Home Improvements

March is an exciting month, we get to spring forward with Daylight Savings (March 13th), although this means you have to turn your clock forward an hour, it also means that we’re that much closer to the first day of spring (March 20th). With spring right around the corner NW Natural Lighting is gearing up for Home Shows, hoping that everyone has home improvements and spring cleaning on their minds. We’d like to help; If you have a dark area or room in your home you’d like to brighten-up, you can do it naturally with Solatube Daylighting Systems, harness what nature has to offer, enjoy natural light and cut-down on your electrical bill all at the same time. When in the spring cleaning mode, you’re sure to stir up a little dust, open your windows and doors and have Mirage Retractable Screens let your house breath and let the dust out while keeping insects and other unwanted whatnots from getting in. There are 3 chances to attend an event this month, Everett Home Show at the Comcast Arena March 4^th – 6^th and the Tacoma Remodeling Expo at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center March 11^th – 13^th,  and the Showroom Event at our NEW LOCATION March 12th from 12pm- 2pm! So come visit us, take advantage of the Manufacturer’s Instant Rebate savings and see how we can help you with your spring home improvement needs.

Getting Ready for an Early Spring with Home Shows!

February 2^nd 2011, Groundhogs day, Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog didn’t see his shadow, according to tradition this means an early spring. NW Natural Lighting is ready to jumpstart spring projects. We have a busy week coming up with this year’s Seattle Home Show (19^th – 27^th) at Qwest Field Events Center and the Northwest Flower & Garden Show (23^rd – 27^th) at the Washington State Convention Center. January  seemed a little dreary and we are ready to start February off with a bang.  This lovely sunny weather is certainly helping. The Seattle Home Show is a nine day event that is the nation’s longest running and largest consumer home show; it offers Northwest residents a “one stop shopping” experience in home products and services! The Northwest Flower & Garden Show has been heralding the start of spring since 1989; over 300 exhibitors, the largest roster of free horticulture seminars of any garden show worldwide, and “The Playgarden,” a hands-on activity area that is fun for the whole family. Come say hello and find out how NWNL can start to brighten up your spring!