According to a paper from Energy Star, LED holiday lights draw 0.04 watts per bulb, 90% less than tradition incandescent holiday lights. This translates into immediate electricity cost savings.
Here's a thought experiment for our downtown:
If the Traverse City DDA spent $7,432 last year on holiday lighting and the price of electric doesn't change, changing to LED lights would save them $6,689 / year . Factoring the initial cost of purchasing the new LED bulbs equates to a 8.2 year payback period. Given that electricity rates are projected to go up by 1 to 2 cents over next 8 years, the payback would improve by 1 to 2 more years. Factor in the cost of replacing broken incandescent bulbs and replacing strings and LEDs become even more favorable.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Switching to LED Holiday Lights
Traffic Calming
Eliminating stop signs at many intersections would help reduce fuel consumption. Stopping and getting a car rolling take more fuel than keeping it coasting at speed.
Stop signs could be converted to Yield signs and traffic circles could be installed in some areas. Some small European cities have completely eliminated traffic signals of any kind relying instead on drivers' common sense and defensive driving.
Truthfully, who doesn't favor a "rolling stop" at empty intersections anyway?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Centre Ice Fitness Becomes Carbon Neutral
Traverse City now has its first carbon neutral fitness club. Centre Ice Fitness is offsetting its yearly CO2 emissions through the carbon offset provider www.4Offsets.com, located in Ann Arbor. 4Offsets helps individuals, small and medium sized businesses trade emission offset credits.
The fitness club (not the ice rink) is offsetting 39 Tons of CO2 representing their annual usage of electricity and gas.
