L.E.D. The Way
by Shervin Saedinia
A recent study conducted by the University of Pittsburg talks about a type of light called the Light Emitting Diode (LED), and how amazing it would be to install it in every corner of each city. What most cities have is High pressure sodium (HPS) lamps and metal halide lamps which are less energy efficient, last a shorter amount of time, and release toxins into the environment. The advantages of installing LED throughout the city are ridiculous:
1) LED’s last 5 times longer
2) They produce more light
3) They have less impact on the environment
4) There is no mercury and fewer toxins in LED
5) And installing LED lights throughout the city of Pittsburgh will save it $1 million in energy costs and $700,000 in maintenance, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 6,818 metric tons.
Check out this chart for their findings:
A few things I find interesting. First, LED lights are only in 1% of U.S. streetlamps. Second, the cost for LED lights range anywhere from $9 to $322, which makes it accessible for everyone to purchase one depending on their budget. Third, two LED lights last longer than eight Metal halide lights, but still 27% of city street lights in the US are using Metal halide lamps. Pathetic I tell ya! Fourth, Metal halide is the most toxic and least eco-friendly of the light technologies. And get this, the color temperature/brightness is 1000 degrees less than LED. Metal halide is actually giving you less light for more toxicity.
Here's the thing, all of those other technologies have reached a plateau in terms of their energy output and cost savings, but LED is still very new and as technology improves, LED will also improve in every category you see in that chart. The moral of the story is go to your city council and complain until they install those snazzy LED lights!
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