Online Essay

The online essay that I read was from an online source called the Oroville Mercury Register.  I chose this essay because it is about the streetlights in San Jose being replaced.  I have always hated the yellow streetlights and I never understood why they were yellow.  It was something small that has always bugged me.  When I have visited other cities growing up, I realized that San Jose is one of the few cities that have these ugly yellow lights.  Having no lights at all may be better than having the yellow lights that seem to just be distracting.

            This essay is about the plans that the city has to replace the yellow streetlights with new bright white lights.  Just because the yellow streetlights are ugly isn’t the reason the city is choosing to replace them.  Pedestrians, cops, and motorists have all often complained about our awful yellow streetlights.  They often make painted curbs harder to see and are often confused with traffic signals and lights.  The yellow streetlights are now not only an inconvenience, but a hazard. A quote from chapter 14 that explains the frustrations residents have been feeling for many years is, “How small changes in repetition call attention to something”.

            The city plans to replace 62,000 streetlights and have the project completed by 2022.  The new streetlights will be an LED version that will not only glow white, but cut energy costs in half.  Another bonus is that the new streetlights will be able to be controlled better when it comes to intensity and timing.

            This is a very interesting essay to me because I have always wondered why the streetlights in San Jose were yellow, and they have always bothered me.  It sounds like a great plan to get new white lights that make driving or walking the streets better for everyone.  The fact that we will be saving energy and eventually money also makes me very happy.  I just wish that the lights had replaced sooner.

(http://www.orovillemr.com/news/ci_11646883)