San Carlos, California, installs 192 BetaLED streetlights

San Carlos, California, is one of many communities in the Golden State to take advantage of federal grants for energy-efficiency upgrades. According to NewStreetlights.com, the city will replace 192 of the existing lights with BetaLED fixtures that will improve the city's energy and maintenance costs for the foreseeable future.

Not only is this initiative a major step forward for the area's power grid, but it is a sustainable choice as well. The new fixtures will replace the aging high-pressure sodium lamps that are constructed from many hazardous materials and are not recyclable. The government awarded San Carlos $124,092 for the project, and the city expects to re-coop that investment very soon.

"We plan to save about $5,000 per year in electrical costs and about $1,500 in maintenance costs," Sibely Calles, an administrator for the public works department for the city of San Carlos, told the news outlet.

Homeowners can reap the energy-efficient benefits of LED lighting and perk up the look of their yards with LED rope lights. These fixtures are encased in durable PVC pipe to endure the elements and they could be the perfect accent for illuminating flower beds, patios and pathways.