WHEREAS, Public lighting is the single largest source of local government’s greenhouse gas emissions, typically accounting for 30 to 50% of their emissions; and
WHEREAS, Currently public lighting in cities, particularly for minor roads and streets, uses large amounts of energy and financial resources, while often failing to provide high quality lighting; and
WHEREAS, Properly shielded home security lamps can provide sufficient illumination of doorways and ground spaces near the home, which in comparison for residential street lighting using a beam can offer sufficient light with little light on lighting up homes; and
WHEREAS, The City Council of Philadelphia exists to promote the welfare of citizens, and recognizes that escalating energy consumption can be harmful to the health of people, the economy, and the environment; and
WHEREAS, City operations and activities create energy demands that produce off-site greenhouse emissions that indirectly effect other regions; and
WHEREAS, The plan will set forth the action steps necessary to increase energy efficiency and use of clean energy supplies to present significant cost savings and new economic opportunities in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The plan must consider converting streetlamps from less efficient incandescent and mercury vapor technology to more efficient high-pressure sodium; and
WHEREAS, By establishing an active, comprehensive citywide program will place Philadelphia as a leader in the street lighting industry; and
WHEREAS, Many communities, like the City of Los Angeles, are adopting efficient lighting by replacing their street lights with full cut-off lighting; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia City Council must continue its efforts to promote a greater public understanding of energy use through outreach and communication efforts, demonstrating that Philadelphia is committed to reducing energy output by publishing a report which shall outline the total City energy use for the prior year; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby request
Committee on the Environment to hold hearings on developing a strategy for the City to manage and operate
cost-effective technology such as streetlights, and a new direction for City operations.
End