Saving the Earth, one LED City at a Time
China’s Tianjin Economic Development Area (TEDA) has become the next LED City, joining the ranks of American Cities like Austin, Ann Arbor, and Raleigh. According to an article in LEDs Magazine, twenty graduate students from Tianjin Polytechnic University designed, produced, and installed approximately 1,500 LED streetlights across TEDA over the last two years.
LED manufacturer Cree created the LED City program to promote energy efficiency in cities through the use of LEDs in street lights and other public places. For instance, Raleigh participated in the program by installing 141 lights in the Upchurch Government Complex parking garage. An “LED City” report from Cree and the City of Raleigh estimates that the lights will save 40% of the energy load, which translates to over $2000 a year. Cree hopes that, in addition to cutting costs, the LED City program will reduce the environmental impact of public lighting, since LEDs are much more efficient than standard lightbulbs, and therefore require less energy consumption.
Considering the financial challenges faced by many American cities today, switching to LED street lamps sounds like a good idea. You can harness the power of LEDs yourself by purchasing a good LED flashlight that will slide into your purse or backpack. The
Coast V6 Stainless Steel 6 Chip (right), as featured in Oprah Magazine in January of 2007, is a great choice. At just over three inches long, it won’t add bulk to your load. And since the three included batteries will last a hundred hours, you won’t have to worry about being stuck without a light as often. The bulbs won’t burn out easily, either– they’ll last up to 100,000 hours.
For more on how to choose the right flashlight for you, read the DLK article “Flashlights– Learn How to Pick The Right One.
Top photo, showing street lights in Shanghai, by http07/ Theirry on Flickr
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