The global population growing, the climate is warming, and, no surprise, the demand for energy is steadily increasing. We need to use less energy in any way that we can.
German design student Tobias Tribenbacher, from the University of the Arts Berlin, has created a street light called Papilio in response to global sustainability initiatives, saying that he initially chose to create a city-facing streetlight due to such lights’ role in light pollution.
Papilio can be mounted to walls or set up as a freestanding lantern. The lamp should ideally be placed between three to six metres above ground, where ground-level winds are the strongest. The lamp is shaped like a pinwheel that acts as a wind turbine (涡轮), catching the wind to produce its own energy. It also has a rechargeable battery that stores electricity, so the lamp can operate even on less windy days.
Another key component of the lamp is the light itself. The warm-colored light doesn’t draw the attention of insects, and it uses an infrared (红外线的) sensor so that the light is only started by nearby motion, reducing its contribution to light pollution.
Aside from saving public space and beautifying streets, the streetlight’s design is also a visual signal of clean energy in action. “Design not only determines how street lights are working. It can also shape our attitude towards them and consequently affect how we use them,” Tobias Tribenbacher says. “Because energy creation is often an invisible process, projects such as these help the production of electricity become comprehensible.”
The lamp’s ability to change wind power into electricity can also be a huge benefit to naturally windy areas. And since it doesn’t require any electrical infrastructure (基础设施), there will be an opportunity to fix the street lights in remote settings or places where infrastructure innovations can be cost-prohibitive.
Just as lanterns create the character of streets and squares, Papilio is envisioned as a public sustainability statement that motivates residents to take part in transforming our cities into climate-friendly, future-proof environments.
12. Why did Tribenbacher choose to create the street light?
A.To tackle light pollution. | B.To reduce biodiversity loss. |
C.To beautify the city he lives in. | D.To draw public attention to waste. |
13. Which of the following is the feature of the street light?
A.It occupies a large space. | B.It can be fixed anywhere. |
C.It is switched off by hand. | D.It is unattractive to insects. |
14. What do Tribenbacher’s words in Paragraph 5 imply?
A.The climate crisis is tough to address. |
B.Design can facilitate our comprehension of energy production. |
C.We must take action to save clean energy. |
D.We know little about electricity generation. |
15. What is the purpose of the text?
A.To stress the importance of innovation. | B.To introduce a wind-powered street light. |
C.To advocate environmental sustainability. | D.To analyze the sustainability of the street light. |