As Los Angeles fights new billboards, other cities are coming up with new ways to power the things: The first eco-friendly billboard is going up in Times Square, a 35,000 pound board that is powered entirely by solar panels and wind turbines. When there's no sun or wind, the billboard goes dark, which doesn't seem to bother anyone. "By generating its own electricity — enough to light six homes for a year — the sign can save as much as $12,000 to $15,000," according to the Times. Additionally, each year, "the sign will prevent 18 tons of carbon from being spewed into the air." While it's ironic that the East Coast, rather than the West Coast, is winning the eco-billboard race (given that California is often seen as a green leader), one ongoing issue raised by local billboard foes is the amount of energy used to illuminate the electronic boards. [NY Times]
Filed under:
Loading comments...