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The Lightbulb That’s Been On for 120 Years and What It Reveals About Planned Obsolescence

In Livermore, California, there’s a lightbulb that’s been shining since 1901. It’s called the Centennial Light, and it’s been glowing for over 120 years in Fire Station No. 6. It has become a global symbol in the debate over planned obsolescence, the industrial practice of designing products to break or wear out quickly so that people are forced to replace them.

This bulb wasn’t built for replacement. It was made with a carbon filament and hand-blown glass, at a time when durability was a priority. In the 1920s, however, the world’s biggest lightbulb manufacturers secretly formed the Phoebus cartel. Their goal: to reduce the average bulb lifespan to just 1,000 hours, far less than what was technically possible. Companies like General Electric, Osram, and Philips agreed that shorter life meant more sales.

That mindset never really disappeared. Today, many products, from smartphones to printers and appliances, seem to break down faster, are difficult to repair, or become unusable due to software updates. A study by Germany’s Öko-Institut found that the average lifespan of home appliances in Europe has dropped by around 30% in the past two decades. Washing machines used to last 15 years; now they barely make it to 7. TVs often fail before their fifth birthday.

Some countries are fighting back. In 2015, France made planned obsolescence a criminal offense. In 2020, Apple faced legal action for slowing down older iPhones. The company admitted doing it to “protect batteries,” but paid fines and settlements across the US and Europe.

The Centennial Light still shines today. It needs no updates, no apps, no replacements. And it reminds us that things can be built to last, but often, they aren’t.

What can we do?
Demand transparency about product lifespan and spare parts.
Support companies that design for repairability.
Back “right to repair” laws in your country or state.
Change habits: repair, reuse, maintain.

The Livermore bulb isn’t just a piece of history. It’s a warning, and a guide.

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