City Installs Energy-friendly Lights

Santa Cruz – The City of Santa Cruz continues to take the lead in the battle against climate change. The City recently completed a lighting project in two of its downtown parking garages that is estimated to reduce its electricity bills by $9,500 annually and keep 55 tons of the greenhouse gas Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere each year. According to Matt Tracy, President of Enlight Efficiency Lighting, replacing the old high pressure sodium fixtures with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs in the garages on Cedar and River Streets is the equivalent of “taking nine cars off the road forever or planting 50 acres of trees.”

Saving money and helping the environment are not the only benefits of the project. The fluorescent fixtures emit a white light that improves visibility, making the garages safer for users. “The improved lighting has made a significant impact on the sense of security and safety in the downtown parking garages,” reports Zach Friend of the Santa Cruz Police Department.