Lighting up Locust in a greener way

The trek down Locust Walk just got a little brighter.

Over the past two weeks, Penn has been installing its annual light displays along the trees lining Locust Walk, a winter tradition that dates back to 1995.

Prior to that, sporadic holiday displays were put up around the center of campus.

The lights, which cost $5,000 to be hung each year, are installed by the University's electricians right before Thanksgiving and are taken down in early March just before spring break.

"They started back in the day as simple Christmas light strings, but they got tangled in the trees, and at times, 'strangled' branches, killing parts of the trees," said Jennifer Rizzi, director of communications for Facilities and Real Estate Services.

Lighting consultants were then brought in to brainstorm new suggestions, among them the low-energy star-shaped lights that were used in the past several years.

"They were actually hard to put up, broke easily and we lost many, so we switched to the globes this year," said Rizzi.

According to University Landscape Architect Robert Lundgren, the school has tried different types of lights over the years in part to search for more energy-efficient alternatives.

"It all began in [1995] at a time when Penn was involved in neighborhood beautification initiatives, including better lighting of streetscapes, and we thought this also added a festive holiday atmosphere," wrote Lundgren in an e-mail.

Penn is currently using LED lights and may switch to solar-powered lights in the future. The school looked into solar-powered lights this year, but they didn't prove strong enough in terms of light output to be seen over the safety lights on Locust Walk, according to Sustainability Coordinator Dan Garofalo.

The lights run along the same circuits as the pedestrian lights, both of which are controlled by timers and photocell sensitivity and are supposed to be switched on and off at dawn and dusk.

"I'm a big fan of the lights," said Wharton sophomore Sam Edelson, who called the disappearance of multi-colored lights this year a "scandal."

Other students were a bit less adamant that the lights be up to mark winter.

"I appreciate the lights but I think they are a little superfluous," College sophomore David Saginur said.

Some students have also complained about the early influx of holiday-related decorations on campus. Others, though, said the lights simply mark the arrival of winter.

"Those lights are not Christmas lights - unlike the cups at Au Bon Pain and Starbucks," said Edelson.

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