The Times Square New Years ball drop will feature an energy efficient ball with LED lights.
Courtesy of Simon Picken
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It's just a couple short weeks before we ring in 2010. One of the iconic events for every new year's eve is the Times Square ball drop in New York City. The new years ball drop has been a must-see event for millions of people for the last 103 years. But it's only been the last two years that the ball was renovated to be energy efficient without losing any of its splendor. This is the third year that an eco-friendly ball is dropping in Times Square, and here's the tricks to making it so:
LED Lights
The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball is a massive 12 foot geodesic sphere. It received a makeover in 2007, when it was fitted with LEDs, but last year received yet another makeover during which it was fitted with 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LED lights - three times the number of LEDs of the previous ball. The combination of the lights, 2,668 Waterford Crystals, and some brilliant designing make it sparkle like never before - capable of flashing more than 16 million colors across billions of patterns - while using nearly 20 percent less energy than the previous energy efficient ball.
Philips Lighting Company Director of Corporate Communications Susan Bloom states, "Now bigger in size and incorporating even more powerful and energy-efficient Philips Luxeon LEDs than last year, this year's Ball will deliver a New Year's Eve experience that will be brighter, more beautiful and more sustainable than ever before."
All that spectacular lighting takes only the amount of energy per hour as running two home ovens. On an average day, that would be a whole lot, but for a show as huge as the New Years Eve ball drop, that's incredibly efficient. Still, that's a lot of electricity - 32,000 watt hours are needed for 30 minutes during the New Year's Eve Ball drop ceremony. But even that is getting a green boost from volunteer people willing to pedal in the new year.
Duracell SmartPower Lab
Duracell has set up for the second year its SmartPower Lab, where tourists can hop on a Power Rover and pedal away. The kinetic energy they create is being harvested, and will be used to light the ball as it counts down the last seconds of 2009 and announces 2010.
If you want to be actually part of the ball drop at Times Square, stop off and hop on one of the cycling machines at the SmartPower Lab, which will be available through December 31 from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Sunday through Wednesday, and 10 A.M. to 11 P.M. Thursday through Saturday.
More on New Years Eve, Green-Style
How to Go Green: New Year's
Throw a Green New Year's Eve Party
Scientists' Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for 2009
