Next Saturday, millions of people will watch the Times Square ball drop in person or on TV to ring in the new year. But the tradition, which started in 1907, got greener in 2008 when Philips Electronics provided 32,256 LED lights to illuminate the ball, Time Magazine reports.
Like consumer LED bulbs, the LEDS that light the Times Square ball consume up to 80 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, Philips says. The company hopes that the dazzling LED ball will inspire consumers to consider installing Philips consumer LED products in their homes, such as the 12.5-watt AmbientLED A19, which can replace 60-watt incandescent bulbs and is Energy Star certified.
According to Philips, if every American household switched to energy-efficient lighting, consumers would reduce 87.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and save $15.8 billion in energy costs.
READ: GOP Wins Battle of the Bulb
Check out the infographic below to learn more about how much energy the Times Square LED ball saves.
- Infographic by PRNewsFoto/Royal Philips Electronics




Company Touts 'World's Most Energy Efficient Light Bulb'
An Energy Saving Tip for Each Month of 2013