Lighting: Lutron Maestro Eco-Minder Dimmer

I recently stopped by the new Lutron showroom in the New York D&D Building to investigate the company’s latest energy-saving dimmers (Lutron founder and owner Joel Spira is credited with inventing the dimmer in 1961), which let you know how much energy you’re saving with tiny LED lights that change from red to green. "The eco-minder dimmer line guarantees a minimum reduction in energy consumption of 15 percent and an increase in light bulb life by at least three times when replacing a standard switch. This is achieved by setting the maximum light output to 85 percent instead of 100 percent brightness, a barely perceptible change to the human eye. The increase in bulb life results in fewer light bulb changes and fewer light bulbs in landfills."

Above: The Maestro Eco-Minder Dimmer is available via electrical distributors, lighting showrooms, and the Lutronstore; $45.50.