Katie Couric's Notebook: Green Lights

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

Cities across the country are making the switch to traffic lights that are always green.

OK, they still turn yellow and red, but they use environmentally friendly L-E-D bulbs that last longer and suck up 90 percent less electricity than incandescent ones. That's not only good for the environment, but for financially strapped communities which can save plenty of green.

But now that winter's here, there's a big yellow caution sign. L-E-D bulbs don't produce heat the way the old ones did. So, snow and ice can build up on lights during a storm instead of melting. That's already caused a lot of accidents and at least one death as drivers go through red lights because they simply can't see them.

Several states are trying fixes including weather shields. So far, heating elements have worked best, but they use even more energy than the old bulbs ... which would have plenty of people ... seeing red.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

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by kenhamlett December 20, 2009 5:24 PM EST: It may seem a little obvious now but changes should be thought out before taking action.
In the home you might need the yellow light of an incandescent bulb so mixing them with fluorescent could save you some money but satisfy your need for yellow.
When you want a new TV a big plasma might use more energy than your CRT so just wait for a really good low power LED tv before changing.
The list of compromises are endless but as with traffic lights some changes are of more significance. So think of how it is used and then see if the change is advisable.
Use more brain power to assess reducing electrical power.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw December 20, 2009 12:52 AM EST: Looks like this snowy weekend will put the new green L-E-D lights to the test. We'll try anything once to save some green from electric bills.
Or we'll all be in the red !; Reply to this comment