Angie Martinez: Lighting a New Path, With LEDs & Bold Leaps

Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are lighting a path in the city of Pittsburgh to make communities safer and healthier and help to create a better world for people and the planet. Angie Martinez works at the city of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure and oversees lighting for streets and in buildings through the management of the city’s public spaces and infrastructure. The switch to LEDs is a smart choice because they are the most energy-efficient light bulbs available. Unlike traditional incandescent light bulbs and other less efficient forms of lighting, LEDs reduce our electricity consumption by transferring most of their energy into light rather than heat. And because they have a longer life span they are more cost-efficient, making the switch to LEDs a smart drawdown solution for our climate. LEDs in the city of Pittsburgh are helping to light the way to a new path for a better world for all of us, and for our future generations.

One of the most important things you can do when it comes to climate change is talk about it.

• LEDs light up to 90 percent more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs. Do you know what kind of lighting is used in your classroom or at home? 
• Often local energy utilities have programs that promote energy-efficient practices, including the use of LEDs. Do you know who your local energy utility is? Do they offer free or rebated LEDs, so that you can make the switch if you haven’t already?
• In college, Angie developed an interest in environmental issues, and after learning more about climate change, she had a realization that she wanted to be in a career where she felt she could make a meaningful impact in solutions. How did you first learn about climate change? What are examples of solutions that you are a part of?
• Angie is a first-generation college student. The motivates Angie to “set the stage for others.” She recognizes the importance of representation from a diversity of perspectives and experiences in climate careers, and she believes that her representation will help make it easier for others to see themselves as influential leaders who can make an impact. Do you see yourself as a climate leader? What representation in perspective or experience would further encourage you to see yourself in this way?
• Angie is part of helping to determine the decisions and direction for the city’s built infrastructure in Pittsburgh. Currently, the majority of street lights in the city of Pittsburgh are high-pressure sodium bulbs, which are a highly inefficient source of lighting. These lights are now reaching the end of their natural life, which means there is an opportunity to create a significant impact in emissions reductions by simply switching them to LEDs. Yet, sometimes these seemingly easy opportunities to make responsible, climate-smart choices are missed by decision-makers. How can you use your voice to ask city officials to make decisions with climate in mind? In your school what are ways that you can talk to administrators to advocate for climate solutions within your school?

Learn about the solutions in this story.

• Solution Sector: Electricity
• Solution: LED Lighting
• For more on all of the Drawdown climate solutions, visit drawdown.org/solutions.
• Learn more about the work Angie does: Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan

Explore Climate Solutions 101, the world's first major educational effort focused solely on solutions. This video series combines Project Drawdown’s trusted resources with the expertise of inspiring voices from around the world: drawdown.org/climate-solutions-101.

• Drawdown Ecochallenge is a fun and social way to take measurable action on the top solutions to global warming. Take the challenge, and see how a few weeks of action add up to a lifetime of change for you and the planet. If you want to take action on Electricity and Transportation like Angie is, visit drawdown.ecochallenge.org/challenges/electricity and drawdown.ecochallenge.org/challenges/transportation.
• ChangeX connects people with proven ideas for strengthening communities with the resources needed to start them. Explore countless ways to improve your community and help the world reach drawdown.
• Climate Generation's Green Careers for a Changing Climate Instructional Supplement (for Grades 6-8) contains resources to help young people learn about Green STEM Careers — careers that can help solve the impacts of climate change using STEM skills. Throughout this instructional supplement, students will be using the resource Drawdown to make important connections to solutions that these careers will implement.