Green in the New Year, like NY’s 32,256-light extravaganza

The giant New Year’s Eve ball in Time Square is twice as big as any other, but also twice as green as previous years.

It’s no surprise that organizers wanted the 2010 ball to out-do all its predecessors. And they’ve sure done it.

The massive 12-foot structure has a record 32,256 LED light bulbs and weighs more than 11,000 pounds. Even though it’s much larger than previous New Year’s Eve balls, it’s still 78 percent more energy efficient than the 2007 version and around 20 percent more efficient than the 2008 one, which also used LEDs.

Not only that, but this will be the first time in history the ball will stay in Time Square the entire year.

“For one hundred years, the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball has attracted millions of revelers to Times Square on December 31st to celebrate the beginning of the New Year” said Jeff Straus, president of Countdown Entertainment and co-organizer of Times Square New Year’s Eve.  “The new Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball will be a bright sparkling jewel atop One Times Square entertaining New Yorkers and tourists from around the world not only on December 31, but throughout the year.”

The ball represents two things:

1. Let’s hope the bright bulbs will be a reminder to everyone who sees them of the importance of taking steps toward a greener tomorrow.

2. Excess is the name of the game. If this light had as many bulbs as the 2008 ball, it would be three times more energy efficient. And the first ball ever dropped only had 100 lights, 25 watts each. That’s progress for you.

Let’s hope the mesmerizing 2010 ball convinces more people to think differently about their energy consumption. That way, the bulbous lamp will at least be worth its weight.