Solar powered traffic lights are set to become an increasingly common phenomenon in South Africa as the National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA) works towards completing 400 installations at critical intersections throughout the country this year.

The Sustainable Traffic Solutions Initiative was launched one year ago by NEEA, an arm of the Central Energy Fund, during the height of South Africa’s power crisis. Employing the use of two solutions – solar power and UPS (uninterruptable power supply) systems – the aim of the initiative was to reduce the number of disruptions caused on busy roads due to power cuts. It was also aimed at removing traffic lights from the Eskom power grid in favour of a more environmentally friendly and energy efficient alternative.
(Read more in The Good News South Africa)

Weeks ago, the Obama Inaugural campaign began using the extensive email and telephone list that propelled a candidate to the White House, to push for more volunteers on Martin Luther King Day to bolster a national day of community service. Millions of volunteers were contacted personally and asked if they would organize a service project in their neighborhood.

While presidents since 1994 have used Jan. 19 as a symbol of citizen involvement after Congress transformed the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday into a national day of community service, Mr. Obama is using the eve of his inauguration to rally millions of Americans to ongoing community service as an effective strategy to help the country in a time of recession.

If you are not already involved, you can search the new national registry of projects online at www.usaservice.org, for service projects in your neighborhood. The new site incorporates the work already begun by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency overseeing 7,000 service programs – including AmeriCorps.