Seattle - (
Shannon) Have you ever walked or driven through an intersection and wondered just what happens to the traffic light when it has outlived its usefulness? No, neither had I, until recently. Cities all over the world are replacing their old-fashioned incandescent signal lights with more efficient LEDs. This is great in one way, as the LEDs require far less energy and last longer, but it's less great when you take into account that those old light lenses (the red, yellow and green glass) are ending up in landfills by the truckloads. The special glass used for traffic signal lights is complicated and costly to recycle, making dumping them a more "attractive" option. However, an enterprising company known as
Greenlight Concepts has found a way to rescue the lenses and turn the situation into a win-win-win. San Francisco designer Daniel Krivens and partner Nicholas Lee had the brilliant idea of turning the discarded lamps into ... well, lamps. Genius.
And they are. Stunning in red, amber and green, these lamps are sustainable and stylish. Pendant lamps of 8" or 12" (there's even a clear version, rescued from train-traffic signals) run between $240 to $299; the 8" or 12" "bucket" versions ($90 to $120) incorporate parchment shades in the design and stand on steel legs (like the one pictured left). All the lamps emit a soft, intimate glow just perfect for creating the right atmosphere that has nothing whatsoever to do with sitting in traffic.
