Trees and light poles/fixtures are commonplace along most streets in urban environments. While they both provide ample benefits related to quality of life and security, trees are highly regarded for their environmental attributes. However, it is not unusual for the positioning of tree canopies to conflict with safety and required on-street/pedestrian level lighting.
Older style light poles require significant maintenance to replace bulbs, which are often energy inefficient, and keep them clear from existing tree canopy. Efforts are currently underway to retrofit existing light poles with LED’s, incorporating smaller acorn light fixtures and pedestrian up-lighting into tree pits to avoid canopy conflicts. With technological advancement, research is also ongoing to potentially turn trees into light sources using bioluminescent (production of light by a living organism) genes.
How amazing would it be to have a tree lined street lit up at night using only the trees themselves! Bioluminescent animals, ferns and insects already exist in nature. According to a Fast Company Article, researchers are trying to isolate the gene that makes microalgae glow for the purpose of genetically engineering trees into natural streetlights. If successful, this could have a significant impact on future energy savings as their will be less reliance on electricity, use of traditional up-lights, and light poles along streets.
Older style light poles require significant maintenance to replace bulbs, which are often energy inefficient, and keep them clear from existing tree canopy. Efforts are currently underway to retrofit existing light poles with LED’s, incorporating smaller acorn light fixtures and pedestrian up-lighting into tree pits to avoid canopy conflicts. With technological advancement, research is also ongoing to potentially turn trees into light sources using bioluminescent (production of light by a living organism) genes.
How amazing would it be to have a tree lined street lit up at night using only the trees themselves! Bioluminescent animals, ferns and insects already exist in nature. According to a Fast Company Article, researchers are trying to isolate the gene that makes microalgae glow for the purpose of genetically engineering trees into natural streetlights. If successful, this could have a significant impact on future energy savings as their will be less reliance on electricity, use of traditional up-lights, and light poles along streets.
