The podcast features Elizabeth Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability at iFixit, discussing the Right to Repair movement and its impact on the lighting industry. Traditionally, lighting was designed with standardized, replaceable components, ensuring easy repairs. However, modern LED fixtures often have non-repairable parts, leading to more electronic waste. Liz explains iFixit's mission to provide free repair guides and advocate for laws requiring manufacturers to support independent repairs. Michael and Greg argue that lighting should return to its repairable roots, emphasizing sustainability and waste reduction. 

Liz Chamberlain is Director of Sustainability at iFixit, where you can find everything you need to fix consumer gadgets (and more). She heads the company's fight for the Right to Repair, which is the idea that you should be able to fix everything you own and manufacturers shouldn't be able to stop you. Her writing about repair and e-waste has been published in The Wall Street Journal and Wired, and she's been interviewed for NPR and Vox. 

Connect with Liz: 

www.ifixit.com 

www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-chamberlain-4a96264a/ 

X: liz_ifixit 

facebook.com/iFixit 

instagram.com/ifixit 

Sponsor: Griplock Systems 

griplocksystems.com

Lighting controls are no longer a nice-to-have—they’re fast becoming the backbone of smart, energy-efficient buildings. In this episode, Michael Colligan and Greg Ehrich sit down with Scott Metker, COO of Autani, to explore how the convergence of lighting, HVAC, and data is transforming the built environment.

From the rise of wireless and hybrid systems to the untapped potential of demand reduction and data-driven decision-making, this conversation sheds light on what’s next for building intelligence. Scott breaks down the real-world benefits of connected controls and why facility managers are seeing lighting systems as more than just sources of illumination—they’re becoming powerful platforms for insight and automation.

And if you're a distributor, contractor, or agent looking to pivot into the future?

Get a Grip on Lighting is blazing a new sales path with rebates and lighting controls—and NAILD is backing it up with an in-person, hands-on controls certification. Click here to learn more. If you’re ready to shift gears with the industry, this is where you start.

Tune in and find out why the smartest buildings start with the smartest lighting systems.

Connect with Scott: 

https://autani.com 

https://www.litetrace.com 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmetker/ 

 Sponsor: Satco  www.satco.com

In this explosive discussion, Devin Wall returns to break down the deep-state influence in the lighting industry—focusing on tariffs, accreditation agencies, and the power dynamics shaping the market. 

 🔦 Key Topics Covered: 

 - Why Devin supports tariffs & U.S.-based manufacturing 

- The real role of accreditation agencies (like DLC) 

- How non-player characters are controlling lighting policies 

- Is the DLC helping or hurting lighting innovation? 

- Why rebates dictate product choices—and who profits 

- The unseen impact of industry regulations 

 🔥 If you're in the lighting industry, this episode is a MUST-WATCH! Let’s talk about who’s pulling the strings and how manufacturers & distributors can navigate the system. 

 💡 Hit like, subscribe, and join the conversation in the comments! 

 #LightingIndustry #Tariffs #DLC #LightingRegulations #DeepStateLighting #GetAGripOnLighting

In this episode of Get a Grip on Lighting, we sit down with Webster Marsh, host of the Lighting Controls Podcast, and Lighting Specialist in Controls instructor, to talk about the exciting future of lighting controls certification and why the industry desperately needs certified professionals. 

 💡 Key Topics Discussed: 

- Why the demand for lighting controls expertise is growing now more than ever. 

- How rebate programs are shaping the market and driving controls adoption. 

- The LC-C Lighting Controls Certification—a hands-on, multi-track training program designed for designers, distributors, and installers. 

- The importance of in-person training—seeing, touching, and working with controls firsthand. 

- How distributors can monetize lighting controls and position themselves as experts in the industry.

 🎓 Ready to take your career in lighting to the next level? Learn more about LC-C Certification and why YOU should be signing up today! 

 🔥 Like, share, and subscribe for more industry insights! #LightingControls #GetAGripOnLighting #LC_Certification #LightingIndustry #LightingTraining 

 Connect with Webster:
www.penumbracontrols.com
www.linkedin.com/in/c-webster-marsh

Sponsor: Keystone www.keystonetech.com

In this compelling episode of Get a Grip on Lighting, Spencer Myles and Brian Amundson dive deep into the complexities of the lighting industry, exposing the challenges posed by rebate programs, direct install initiatives, and shifting market dynamics.

✨ Key Topics Discussed:

🔍 Discover how Spencer and Brian shed light on these pressing issues and share their insights into navigating a rapidly evolving industry landscape. If you're in the lighting business, this episode is a must-watch!

💡 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments!

#LightingIndustry #RebatePrograms #DeepStateLighting #DirectInstall #GetAGripOnLighting

Our old friend Mark Jewell joins us to talk about selling in the lighting industry—especially as rebates begin to dry up. A lot of people are worried about what the end of rebate programs will mean for project sales. Mark says we shouldn’t be. Michael and Greg aren’t so sure. In this episode, Mark talks us down off the “rebate ledge” with some sensible math. Rebates are great, but they’re not the only reason to upgrade. With real-world examples, he explains how energy savings, increased building value, and improved worker performance—think efficiency, accuracy, and morale—can still make a strong business case for retrofits. And if you manage a mall, you’ll want to hear Mark’s take on why it TOTALLY makes sense to upgrade your parking lot lighting—rebates or not.

Mark is an award-winning trainer and Wall Street Journal best-selling author with 30 years’ experience in energy and efficiency. Over those three decades, Mark Jewell has taught more than 15,000 energy professionals and influenced efficiency decisions in more than three billion square feet of North American real estate. Earlier in his career, Mark helped the US EPA deploy both the ENERGY STAR® Buildings Program for Commercial Real Estate and the Portfolio Manager® benchmarking tool.

Prior to founding Selling Energy, Mark Jewell served as founder and President of a consulting firm that identified energy-saving improvements, provided financial analyses to justify said improvements, and supported utilities and customers in the creation and implementation of efficiency programs. Mark received his B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania.

For this episode, we hoped to welcome Brian Bastien of Product Care Recycling to discuss Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programs and their impact on the lighting industry. The President of NAILD reached out—non-profit to non-profit—to open a conversation about how these programs support sustainability and what they mean for lighting distributors.
 
 Surprisingly, every expert we invited declined the opportunity to join us. That’s a first for us, as the lighting industry has always been generous with its time. Mr. Bastien was the only one to formally respond, mailing a letter to the President of NAILD stating that his schedule was completely full—now and in the future—due to the demands of EPR.
 
 We certainly understand that time is valuable, especially when overseeing such a critical initiative. That said, lighting distributors are a key stakeholder group, and Get a Grip on Lighting is proud to serve as the official podcast of NAILD—North America’s only trade association dedicated exclusively to lighting distributors. Given that the industry contributes significant funding to Product Care Recycling, we believe it would be beneficial to have an open discussion about the role and value of EPR in lighting.
 
 So, while this episode won’t feature Mr. Bastien, we’re still diving into the topic. Our goal is simple: to better understand EPR, its benefits, and its challenges. We sincerely hope to have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Bastien—or another representative from Product Care Recycling—at some point in the future.
 
 We think a 30–45 minute conversation would go a long way in helping everyone gain clarity on this important issue.

Jason knows so much about lighting that he wrote 2 books on the subject (see below). Jason chats with Michael and Greg about his books, wasteful lighting fixtures, the circular economy, and wired and wireless controls. And for pete's sake, don’t go with flat panels if there are better choices.

Jason Livingston LC, IES, IALD is the principal of Studio T+L, a lighting design and theatre planning firm in Brooklyn, NY.  His lighting design portfolio ranges from offices to churches and from theatres to experiential environments.  In addition to his design work, Mr. Livingston is the co-chair of the IES Color Committee and is on the faculty of New York School of Interior Design and New York University.  He is also the author of Designing with Light: The Art Science and Practice of Architectural Lighting Design, 2nd Ed. and Fundamentals of Energy Efficient Lighting and Controls.  Mr. Livingston is a frequent speaker on lighting design and color related topics, especially color rendering and ANSI/IES TM-30.

Connect with Jason:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-livingston-3267271a/

www.studio-tl.com

Blog associated with my two books:  www.designinglight.com

Jason's books:

Fundamentals of Energy Efficient Lighting and Controls

https://amzn.to/41kD7xd

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fundamentals-of-energy-efficient-lighting-and-controls-jason-livingston/1146628605?ean=9788770042369

https://www.routledge.com/Fundamentals-of-Energy-Efficient-Lighting-and-Controls/Livingston/p/book/9788770042369?srsltid=AfmBOoqN7XXqHd4NokPQ2j0INufQ4eF6y5qiBypSOM8_D-E5Dv3drFCc

https://a.co/d/al45bg7

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/designing-with-light-jason-livingston/1118231097?ean=9781119807780

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Designing+with+Light:+The+Art,+Science,+and+Practice+of+Architectural+Lighting+Design,+2nd+Edition-p-9781119807797

You’ve seen Dr. Motta on Restoring Darkness (https://restoringdarkness.com/episode/120-blue-light-leds-are-an-immune-suppressor-proven-to-cause-cancer-dr-mario-motta) now he’s on Get a Grip on Lighting to tell you about the hazards of blue-rich LED’s. No matter how some might push back, the evidence is irrefutable: blue light LED’s suppress melatonin which can lead to cancer. When Dr. Motta’s and the American Medical Association’s report was released in 2016, the Lighting Deep State was “not polite” in their rebuttal. But it seems they have come around in recent years. Dr. Motta had been in practice at North Shore Medical Center in Salem, Massachusetts, since 1983, recently retiring in 2022. He is a graduate of Boston College, with a BS in physics and biology, and of Tufts Medical School. He is board certified in Internal medicine and Cardiology, and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. He is an associate professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Motta has long been active in organized medicine, both in the American Medical Association (AMA) and in the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS), holding a number of posts through the years. He is a past President of the MMS. He was elected and served 8 years on the AMA council of Science and Public Health, and then was elected to the Board of Trustees of the AMA in 2018, recently completing his term. In May of 2023 at its annual meeting, the MMS awarded Dr Motta its highest honor, the “Award for Distinguished Service.” Dr Motta also has a lifelong interest in astronomy, and has hand built a number of telescopes and observatories through the years to do astronomical research, including his entirely homemade 32 inch F6 relay telescope located in Gloucester, MA. He has been awarded several national awards in astronomy, including the Las Cumbras award from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in 2003, and also the Walter Scott Houston award from the northeast section of the Astronomical League, and in 2017 the Henry Olcott Award from the American Association of Variable star Observers (AAVSO). He has served as a president of the ATM’s of Boston, and has served as a council member of the AAVSO, and is a past president as well. He has also served on the Board of the IDA. He has worked on light pollution issues, and published several white papers on LP as a member of the AMA council of science and public health. He served on a UN committee (COPUOS) representing the AMA on light pollution for a worldwide effort to control LP and satellite proliferation. Finally, several years ago the International Astronomical Union awarded Dr Motta an asteroid in part for his work on light pollution as well as amateur research, asteroid 133537MarioMotta.

Connect with Dr. Motta: www.mariomottamd.com
Connect with The Soft Lights Foundation: www.softlights.org

Put your preconceptions and biases aside, Mark baker is going to point the finger a little in this episode. LED’s can be harmful to humans - Mark being one of them - and the industry needs to recognize this, step up, and address the problem. Admittedly, as Michael says, the lighting industry got steamrolled by the LED revolution, but now it’s time to get back up on our feet and to be a part of the solution.

Mark Baker is the President of The Soft Light Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for the protection of people and the environment from the harms of visible radiation emitted by products that use Light Emitting Diodes. Mark is the primary author of a primer on the differences between a curved surface emitter and a flat surface emitter.  His co-authors include subject matter experts in the fields of physics, engineering, medicine, and light pollution.