“Light up your life” is an innovative program of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Philips that seeks to promote efficient and sustainable energy in low-income communities in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil.
In Colombia, the program invested in six sports arenas: Alfonso Lopez, San Martin and Olaya Herrera in Santa Marta; Rafael Garcia Herreros in Cartagena; La Sierrita in Barranquilla, which will be illuminated with LED technology; and Altos de Cazuca in Bogotá, which will be the only one with solar energy. Investment in lighting for these football fields represents an important contribution to the cultural development of thousands of Colombians.
Sylvia Larrea, an energy specialist at the IDB in charge of the program, which was recently inaugurated in Colombia with the presence of singer Carlos Vives, said that “the program is an innovative idea that has a profound impact on the daily lives of people “and that it” relates to several of the IDB’s strategic areas such as climate change, sustainable cities, security, gender and health.”
During the inauguration on July 29, 2016 in Santa Marta, Colombia, Carlos Vives said, “This light that we are inaugurating today is simply the symbol of a beginning, of work that we will do together.” The singer related that he felt “very excited to participate in actions aimed at improving the quality of life of Colombians and to create sustainable cities in the long term.”
The use of energy efficiency with the latest technology in LED and renewable energy is very important for communities for 5 reasons:
- It promotes sustainable energy that allow energy savings of 50% over conventional technology and that translates into significant savings in electricity bills
- It creates spaces where communities can gather together in a safe and friendly environment.
- It provides financial support to the community because people can continue to do business at night.
- It promotes the participation of children and young people in sports and other evening activities.
- It promotes awareness of efficient and renewable energies among citizens.
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