Summit's Sub-par Streetlights

In Summit, there is not enough light provided by streetlights, causing a major problem. Specifically, the sodium-vapor bulbs do not provide enough light and waste energy. In addition, sodium-vapor bulbs contain hazardous materials that can be harmful to people and animals when they break and release the gas contained inside. LED streetlights do not waste as much energy as the sodium-vapor bulbs that are currently installed in the street lights of Summit.

Street lighting is not only a problem in Summit, but it is a problem throughout all of the United States. On www.gelighting.com the article, “Roadway Lighting”, says the cities of New York, Oakland, Phoenix, San Diego, and even in Bauro, Brazil face this challenge too. These cities are home to massive amounts of people, and are constantly filled with night-life, causing the need of exceptional street lighting. All of the cities that have been listed have switched, or are switching to, LED lights and have already shown positive outcomes. There are results of more nighttime activities and studies have shown that citizens have strong feelings for the switch to LEDs. Citizens have responded saying they feel safer at night, and are more prone to enjoy these cities during the evening. With LED streetlights citizens of Summit will feel safer and will be more encouraged to go out during the night, because of the increased amount of lighting.

Street lights with sodium-vapor bulbs are not friendly to our environment also these bulbs save little to no energy unlike the eco-friendly LEDs. LEDs greatly reduce energy costs and can pay for themselves in many cities

such as Summit, with LEDs they have made back all of the money for the cost of installation and are now saving even more money. According to the article titled “DOE Study Confirms LED Lighting is the Most Environmentally Friendly” on enviromentalleaders.com, states that LEDs consume less watts than what they produce. A normal LED bulbs consumes 12.5 watts of energy and they give off 15 watts of energy. LED lights are less energy consuming and save greater amounts of energy than the widely used pathetic sodium-vapor street light bulbs.

Some town council members may think that installing all new bulbs in the streetlights would be an expensive project that is not worth it in the long run, but they would be wrong.The website www.leotek.com says that citizens in the small city of Fair Haven found problems with their streetlights (similar to citizens in Summit). The city replaced 1,000 streetlights, which costed them $215,000 in total. The new cost efficient bulbs, which use significantly less energy will save the town $55,000 a year. This means that in 3.91 years Fair Haven will pay off all of their expenses, and from then on they will be saving $55,000 a year from then on. With 50-75% maintenance savings, and and a quick payoff, LED streetlights are the way to go.

Summit streetlights are not up to par with the new LED bulbs. If Summit switched to LED bulbs we would save a large amount of money, that would pay for the total cost of switching, and could even turn into profit. Also the city of Summit would use much less energy in their streetlights, making our town a more eco-friendly environment. Next, new LED streetlights would illuminate the city much more at night, making people more apt to go outside at night. In the end, LED streetlights will enhance Summit.