The Benefits Of Lighting From The Industrial Revolution

In today’s contemporary society we have surely reaped the benefits from a multitude of innovations from the Industrial Revolution (1750-1901). One critical invention being electric street lighting - the lamps lighting the revolution. Since the dawn of creation all goods have been created by hand. The changes brought about by the industrial revolution were that of a miracle to the western world. Complete with a flow of technical innovations, rapid development of urban populations and a renaissance of world trade. Electric carbon street lighting was first employed in 1878 to light the Parisian streets. These incandescent lights, vital for pedestrian night transportation, were a variation from its predecessor ‘arc lamps,’ commonly called ‘Yablochkov

This quote perfectly sums up one of the most transient, short term effects of electric carbon lighting in terms of Parisian nightlife. To this day, nightlife is still at large in cityscape areas, but it’s easy to forget that being ‘bathed’ in light, at night, is a somewhat modern phenomenon. While the night-time happenings of the traditional owners of the night – the young and restless – may have been very favouring, it was advantageous to others as well. The short term societal effects ranged from something as complex as expansion of business hours and night productivity in workplaces to benefits as simple as a man or women, having the ability to read a book under the glow of a public street light. With the increase in a want and a need for artificial light, as a result of these early on impacts, it soon became a clear view of the night sky that was uncommon. Looking at the influences of light in modern-day society, most of it will come down to convenience. Think of the countless cars on the road at night the 24hr gyms, fast food joints and supermarkets, or the fact that crime has become much harder to commit due to the constant light that litters the streets. None of this could have been a remote possibility without the invention of electric street lights. Currently, we are in a new phase of technological experimentation and revelation, where there is a constant search for energy-efficient light sources. This brings us to the latest and greatest technological accomplishment LED (light emitting diodes) lighting. These environmentally stable, free from hazardous chemicals with a long durability lifespan are the future of street lighting. If the switch to LED outdoor lighting is in need of any more support, just look at the dramatic rise in climate change over the past few years. In the United States alone, street lighting accounts for a whopping 30