The past two winters have dumped plenty of snow on the east coast, making hash of such claims from a decade ago that “Sledding and snowball fights are as out-of-date as hoop-rolling,” as the New York Times sniffed in January of 2000. And yet, the relentless march to banish incandescent lights to fight the imagined effects of global warming marches on. Often with unintended consequences, as this Philadelphia Daily News report highlights:
Going green has caused some Philadelphians, including City Councilman Frank Rizzo, to see white.
“The new LED traffic-bulb lights were completely coated by snow and ice, preventing drivers from seeing the signal,” Rizzo said about his commute to work Thursday.
AdvertisementAlthough energy-efficient and cost-effective, LED lights have a downside. The LED bulbs burn cooler than the old incandescent lights, meaning snow that covers them melts slower, said Mark McDonald, Mayor Nutter’s spokesman.
Naturally, the unnecessary replacement of incandescents puts more local government employees to work:
Other cities that are prospering with LED traffic lights have adapted to some of the new technology’s imperfections.
In Milwaukee, the city purchased long poles and brushes to manually clean the lights, according to the city’s chief traffic and street-lighting engineer, Bob Bryson. Cops and snow-removal trucks report covered lights.
In Denver, workers use air compressors and long brushes to clear snow-covered traffic lights. Denver also monitors most of its lights from a traffic control room.
Also in snow-related tri-state news, pickle juice is being used to melt snow in cash-strapped Bergen County, New Jersey because it’s much cheaper than salt. But then Philadelphia Eagles fans know that there’s nothing pickle juice can’t do.
Related: Meanwhile, back in the much warmer climate of northern California,”Solyndra Solar Panel plant in Fremont, California has wasted a billion dollars, $535 million of those a direct bailout from U.S. taxpayers, and it is going ‘bust.’” But it continues to be a useful campaign backdrop for green-obsessed Democrat politicians such as Barbara Boxer and President Obama.
Funny you should mention Milwaukee – the Great Blizzard of 2011 is looking to smack me straight upside my head with up to 2 feet by Wednesday (most of it blowing in on Tuesday night).
Oh well; that’s what they made 4WD and snowthrowers for (and why I’ve got them).
Didja ever wonder why no one at the New York Times realizes what a big waste of energy the printing and distribution of newspapers is? After all the energy used to make newsprint and print the damn thing, they have to put it on carbon-spewing trucks to be driven into the hearts of darkest NJ and Connecticuit where it is delivered, one copy at a time, by folks driving cars, many of whom used to have better jobs before the Democrats took over Congress in 2006. I gotta say, if all this snow IS really due to Global Climate Ruction, a lot of the blame belongs with old-fashioned energy-wasting businesses like the NYT.
Is it just me? Or, does it seem that every time the ‘crats decide to “go green” and reduce their energy footprint (with LED traffic lights as just one small example), they end up spending even more of our dollars to make the “great new technology” work?
“What do you do for the government, Daddy?” “Why, son, I brush snow off traffic lights. Just doing my part to keep the driving public safe. If you study hard, maybe you, too, can grow up to be a an LED Traffic Light Snow Removal Specialist.”
Government has become so ridiculous, it’s both the original and the caricature, all at the same time.
Collisions at intersections resulting in injury or even death are apparently a small price to pay so that you can smugly show how awesomely green your city is. Functionality and public safety be damned, we’ll show you Edison-ite deniers!
Seriously, there will be lawsuits, and they will be justified.