Our Chemical Landscape – The City
Part 1 of Our Chemical Landscape. Today’s episode: the city, and the role of energy in shaping its past and future.
In honor of the International Year of Chemistry, Distillations debuts the four-part series Our Chemical Landscape. These shows look at how science has shaped the city, the suburb, the farm, and the wild. Today’s episode is about the city, and the role of energy in shaping its past and future. First we learn how the spread of gas lighting revolutionized the way cities functioned, and ushered in the era of electricity. And next, producer Kimberly Haas takes to the streets of Philadelphia to reveal how urban areas are working to become models of energy efficiency.
Show Clock
00:00 Opening Credits
00:31 Introduction
01:40 History of The City: Gas Lighting
06:04 Future of The City: Energy Efficiency in Philadelphia
16:16 Closing Credits
Credits
Special thanks to Michal Meyer for researching this show.
Our Chemical Landscape is part of CHF’s Thanks to Chemistry project, sponsored by BASF Corporation, The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, DuPont, and ExxonMobil.
Our theme music is composed by Dave Kaufman. Additional music from Music Alley. Additional music includes “City Lights,” by Erik Seilnacht, and “Ragtime Funk,” by Howitzer.
Image courtesy of Flickr user Kevin Burkett.