Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

New York's New Year's Celebration Goes Green

by Terrence O'Brien on December 31, 2009 at 08:45 AM

New Year's Celebration Goes Green
This New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square -- like everything else these days -- is going green. The "ball" has had all its bulbs replaced with highly efficient LEDs, and will use 20-percent less power than last year's.

Additionally, through a partnership with Duracell, the giant halogen bulb lit '2009' sign will get a chunk of its power from people. Visitors to the Charmin-sponsored public restroom on 45th and Broadway may have noticed signs leading them two floors up an escalator during the last month to a mock ski lodge maintained by Duracell. In addition to a fake fireplace, plush couches, and a few Wiis for patrons to enjoy, there was a bank of stationary bikes designed to look like snow mobiles. Visitors could hop on the bikes and a generator would convert energy produced by their furious pedaling into electricity stored in batteries that have now been moved to a new location to power the 2009 sign.

Between December 2 and December 27, 137,228 visitors pedaled for more than 275 combined hours in order to power the gaudy numerical installation for 15 minutes. The "Power Lodge" is still operable, and visitors can recharge gadgets and play Wii, but your chance to add your leg power to the New Year's celebration has sadly passed. But if you're really intent on using your restlessness for eco-friendly ends, you can always go dancing. [From: New York Times]

Tags: 2009, duracell, holiday, new years eve, NewYearsEve

Comments

1

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular