Back in 2003, Daniel Krivens, an architectural designer in San Francisco, had an “aha!” moment while walking down the street. He noticed maintenance workers removing the incandescent glass from a street crosswalk sign and replacing them with the energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) models, and thought he could design something beautiful with the discarded glass. Soon after, Greenlight Concepts’ recycled stoplight lamps were born.

According to the EPA, LED signals use less electricity to produce the same amount of light output as traditional traffic signals. The lifetime of an LED signal is more than 10 times that of an incandescent bulb signal, reducing maintenance and replacement costs drastically. Since LED signals require less energy to operate, battery backup can be installed at key locations, ensuring that the lights work even when power is out in the area. In light of the benefits of LEDs, cities around the country have been updating their traffic signals, which will be beneficial in the long run, but is creating a lot of waste in the short term. Thankfully, Greenlight Concepts is able to help reduce that waste by recycling the lenses and making beautiful, unique works of lighting art with them. A personal favorite, the 12-inch Yielding Yellow Stoplight Pendant Lamp, is an eye-catching design. As stated on the Greenlight Concepts site: “You’ll definitely want to slow down for this stunning beauty.” It retails from $239 to $279. Greenlight Concepts is creating “retro-modern lighting fixtures using glass lenses recycled from discarded traffic lights.” When creative recycling meets functional beauty, it is worth a look. To find out more information about Greenlight Concepts, visit greenlightconcepts.com.