It's about to get bright in here.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the city would be getting 250,000 new LED street lights to replace the current ones, and they'll be up by 2017. This would save taxpayers about $14 million a year, and will consume less power than the lights that are up right now. The high-pressure sodium bulbs NYC uses only has a lifespan of about six years, while the LED lights will last nearly two decades. “LEDs are the wave of the future. They last forever and they use a lot less energy,” Bloomberg said. The decision comes after NYC has tested LEDs in Central Park and on the cables of the East River bridges, and after Los Angeles announced that they were switched to LED lights for 141,089 lights on its streets. "With roughly a quarter-million street lights in our city, upgrading to more energy efficient lights is a large and necessary feat," Bloomberg continued. "It will save taxpayers millions of dollars, move us closer to achieving our ambitious sustainability goals, and help us to continue reducing city government's day-to-day costs and improving its operations."
I, for one, welcome our LED overlords.
[via The Verge]