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Welcome to the NEMRA Lighting Division

William Attardi on April 23, 2026

NEMRA Lighting Division is dedicated to empowering independent lighting representatives and their manufacturing partners. Membership in NEMRA Lighting Division connects you to a powerful network of professionals, programs, and resources powered by three core pillars: Advocacy, Education, and Networking. NEMRA Lighting champions the voice of independent lighting agencies and manufacturers, empowers members by building capabilities, and fosters connections for strong partnerships. Through Advocacy, Education, and Networking, your NEMRA Lighting Division membership equips you with professional development, relationships, and business strategies to give you a competitive advantage. NEMRA Lighting Division

NEMRA Lighting and IES Partner to Launch Lighting Educational Curriculum

William Attardi on August 21, 2025

NEMRA Lighting and IES say this new virtual learning pathway bridges the lighting knowledge gap. To meet the growing demand for comprehensive lighting education and skills development, the platform builds on lighting and controls expertise while preparing participants for broader industry certifications.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • The curriculum features four progressive levels, from basic lighting fundamentals to advanced system design and integration.
  • Courses one and two are free for NEMRA Lighting members, with higher levels requiring additional memberships and offering CEUs and industry recognition.
  • Partnership with IES ensures high-quality, accredited content that supports professional growth and industry credibility.
  • Participants gain  certificates, CEUs and LinkedIn verifications, enhancing their professional profiles.

For more information, visit NEMRA Lighting Division

NEMRA Lighting and IES Partner to Launch Lighting Educational Curriculum | Electrical Wholesaling

Welcome to the NEMRA Lighting Division

William Attardi on July 19, 2025

NEMRA Lighting Division is dedicated to empowering independent lighting representatives and their manufacturing partners. Membership in NEMRA Lighting Division connects you to a powerful network of professionals, programs, and resources powered by three core pillars: Advocacy, Education, and Networking. NEMRA Lighting champions the voice of independent lighting agencies and manufacturers, empowers members by building capabilities, and fosters connections for strong partnerships. Through Advocacy, Education, and Networking, your NEMRA Lighting Division membership equips you with professional development, relationships, and business strategies to give you a competitive advantage. NEMRA Lighting Division

 

The Statue of Liberty was made with copper but due to oxidation, it turned green.

When the “Lady in the Harbor” first arrived in New York in 1886, she didn’t look like the mint-green icon we know today. In fact, for the first twenty years of her life, she stood as a towering, metallic beacon of reddish-gold. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the statue was a gift from France to America. To build her, Bartholdi chose copper for three practical reasons:

  • Malleability:It could be hammered into elaborate, thin sheets.
  • Weight:Copper is lighter than stone or bronze, making it easier to ship 350 individual pieces across the Atlantic.
  • Durability:It was strong enough to survive a 27-day ocean voyage and the harsh winds of the harbor.

When she was unveiled on October 28, 1886, her skin—made of 300 copper sheets roughly the thickness of two pennies—shone with a bright, metallic brown luster. The transformation from “penny-colored” to “patina-green” wasn’t planned. Bartholdi actually expected the statue to age into a deeper, darker red. However, the unique environment of New York Harbor—a mix of salt air, moisture, and industrial pollution—triggered a process called oxidation.

The Timeline of Change:

  1. 1886–1900:The bright copper dulled into a dark, muddy brown.
  2. 1903:The first hints of a light green crust, or “patina,” began to appear.
  3. 1906:The color change was so controversial that Congress nearly stepped in. They appropriated $62,000 to paint the statue back to its original color, but the public protested, calling the idea “sacrilege.”
  4. 1910–1920:The statue was a patchy mix of brown and green until 1920, when the oxidation was complete, leaving her entirely teal.

While we now view the green color as iconic, it actually serves a vital structural purpose. The layer of verdigris (the green patina) acts as a protective shield. It seals the copper underneath, preventing the metal from further corrosion and weathering.  By the time the color fully changed, a new generation of immigrants had arrived in America seeing a green statue.