A Bright Idea: LED Street Lights

L.A.'s 6th Street Bridge with LED street lights. Photo credit: Clean Tech Los Angeles

Cities across the United States are saving energy and costs by installing light-emitting diode (LED) street lights. LEDs not only consume less power for the same amount of luminance compared to traditional lighting, but they also last longer.

There are many LED street lighting pilot projects taking place, including in my former home of Los Angeles, California. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has partnered with the Clinton Climate Initiative to undertake the largest green street lighting program in history. According to the Bureau of Street Lighting website, as of February 9 the city had replaced 62,064 traditional light fixtures with LED lights, going from 10,740 kilowatts down to 4,205 kilowatts for 60.8 percent energy savings, or 26,664 megawatt hours. The program has also reduced carbon emissions by 15,766 metric tons and saved $2,357,567 in energy costs.  The city expects annually to save $10 million, save energy by 40% and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 40,500 tons.

Arlington, Virginia is where I currently reside and this forward-looking county across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. is installing LED street lights as well. Arlington's project is funded by the US Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program and local capital funds. In 2010 the county spent $1.5 million to replace 1,800 existing streetlights with LED fixtures. Arlington plans to replace all its street lights with LED technology, a move that will save the county $1 million per year.

LED street lights are a smart and efficient way for cities to save money, save energy and save the environment. Expect to see many LED street lights in cities across America and the world.

Capital Bikeshare Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Capital Bikeshare celebrated a successful first year of operation as the largest bike sharing system in North America with 1,100 shiny red bicycles and over 110 stations spread across Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia. The birthday bash was held Thursday evening under gray skies at The Yards Park next to the Nationals baseball stadium, but the mood was ebullient. 

The crowd rocked out to '80s cover band The Reflex, drank eco-friendly beer from New Belgium Brewing and chomped down tasty eats from food truck vendors like Red Hook Lobster Pound. The attendees, many whom biked to the event, heard nothing but praise about Capital Bikeshare from Arlington County Board Member Jay Fisette, D.C. Councilmember Tommy Wells and District Department of Transportation Director Terry Bellamy, who announced the planned installation of an additional 54 stations in D.C. next year.

Fisette reminded the audience that CaBi is the only bike sharing system in North America that serves two jurisdictions -- Arlington and Washington, D.C. He said that biking isn't about spandex or carbon frames, but, like in Europe, it is about a leisurely city ride to the grocery store with a basket on the front. Capital Bikeshare is making that dream a reality in the Nation's Capital.

Here are more photos from the event.

Photos: Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

I biked to the Pentagon Memorial on the day before the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America. A decade ago the World Trade Center justifiably got more attention because there were more victims and they were mostly civilians. However, we must not forget the 184 innocent victims working in the Pentagon and on board American Airlines Flight 77 on that fateful day.

The memorial features benches engraved with the names of each victim. The benches are aligned by year of birth. Names of the airline passengers who lost their lives are placed so visitors look away from the Pentagon toward the plane's path. Benches engraved with the names of the victims inside the Pentagon are placed so visitors face the south facade of the building where the plane hit.

Here are photos from today's visit.