Neon vs LED Displays and Their Environmental Impact

On the Las Vegas strip itself, the one place in the world most famous for its neon lights, many are switching over to LED displays over neon. In fact, the neon signs that are being replaced with their LED counterparts can now be found being preserved in neon museums.

LED is much more efficient than neon in many ways. First, and most obviously, it uses less energy than neon. LED signs use only 10 watts of electricity, while neon signs can use up to ten times that amount. In addition, neon signs need to have their gas replaced 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 such as argon and mercury are toxic in themselves. 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 held responsible for the damage that they cause.

Finally, in today’s fast-paced hustle and bustle, LED displays are vastly more practical than neon signs. Instead of having to change the sign manually with every new advertisement while producing more waste materials in the process, LED signs can be programmed to change on the go. They can even make use of scheduling software to display different advertisements which cater to the different crowds that pass by at different times of day, or different days of the week.

There’s no contest when it comes to LED vs. neon where the environment is concerned. LED is the way to go.