Toronto's streets were lighted, until the 1990s, with beautiful but expensive and energy-thirsty incandescent lamps. The quality of this light was fully appreciated by a citizens' committee appointed by city council to investigate more energy-efficient alternatives. It recommended, with the support of the city's two largest daily newspapers (to give you an idea of how light can become a public issue), a high-efficiency white light, and not high-pressure sodium, for city streets. Also specified were lamps of far lower wattage than are typically used. As a result, in the 80 per cent of the city where this technology is used, the streets are still beautifully lighted at night.