First an article about light pollution
And here plans that our local councils are making
I wondered what other people may think about this, I like the idea of turning out the lights at a pre-arranged time
Sex God
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Could it be time to turn off the lights?
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Sex God
There is far too much light. Period.
Mainly because it is wasted - street lights that are supposed to illuminate the road and the pavement, use about a third (estimating by surface area visible) of their electricity lighting up gardens, kitchens and bedrooms nearby.
Commercial or domestic security lights that are positioned wrongly and pump stupidly bright halogen light right across the street into their neighbours' bedrooms. And go on every time a cat passes or a leaf falls. Luckily my neighbour was kind enough to move it.
Shops that leave their lights on all night - they could have a false back in the windows and have gentle lights in the displays. Using reflective surfaces more imaginatively.
The road next to me that, because is has lorries trundling down it, has motorway-sized street lights instead of normal ones - what are we doing, employing blind lorry drivers?
We do not need roads to be lit as bright as day to be able to drive perfectly safely. And the transition, then, to unlit sections is so much worse because we are acclimatised to the bright lights.
We could do this intelligently - have as many lights but have them shaped so that the light only falls where it is meant to - thus allowing us to fit lower power bulbs. Wiring street lights so we can dim or switch off every second or third light when we know they aren't needed. Use road-edging blocks that have some reflective content to outline the edges of darker roads clearly. This could be selected to reflect frequencies of light that do not disturb birds to being awake at stupid hours.
I'm not suggesting for a second that we plunge sink-estates into darkness. But there has to be a middle-way. One that balances simple security (not the paranoid kind) with not spending stupid money and not illuminating what should be dark.
Remember YOU are paying your council to light up your garden and house with vile orange glare.
Mainly because it is wasted - street lights that are supposed to illuminate the road and the pavement, use about a third (estimating by surface area visible) of their electricity lighting up gardens, kitchens and bedrooms nearby.
Commercial or domestic security lights that are positioned wrongly and pump stupidly bright halogen light right across the street into their neighbours' bedrooms. And go on every time a cat passes or a leaf falls. Luckily my neighbour was kind enough to move it.
Shops that leave their lights on all night - they could have a false back in the windows and have gentle lights in the displays. Using reflective surfaces more imaginatively.
The road next to me that, because is has lorries trundling down it, has motorway-sized street lights instead of normal ones - what are we doing, employing blind lorry drivers?
We do not need roads to be lit as bright as day to be able to drive perfectly safely. And the transition, then, to unlit sections is so much worse because we are acclimatised to the bright lights.
We could do this intelligently - have as many lights but have them shaped so that the light only falls where it is meant to - thus allowing us to fit lower power bulbs. Wiring street lights so we can dim or switch off every second or third light when we know they aren't needed. Use road-edging blocks that have some reflective content to outline the edges of darker roads clearly. This could be selected to reflect frequencies of light that do not disturb birds to being awake at stupid hours.
I'm not suggesting for a second that we plunge sink-estates into darkness. But there has to be a middle-way. One that balances simple security (not the paranoid kind) with not spending stupid money and not illuminating what should be dark.
Remember YOU are paying your council to light up your garden and house with vile orange glare.
Sex God
I seem to remember some time ago seeing or reading about the 'invention' of street lights which reduced light pollution......seemed like a good idea to me ,I wonder what happened to it ?
I think it's a great idea.
Here, the lights go off at 2230 on the dot and come back on again at 0630 (dependant on light levels of course). They used to leave the lights on all all night until our more youthful and progressive Maire decided that it would save the commune a considerable amount of money - meaning less local tax :thumbup:
This has been running for 2 years now and I'm not aware of anyone who has complained abou it.
Here, the lights go off at 2230 on the dot and come back on again at 0630 (dependant on light levels of course). They used to leave the lights on all all night until our more youthful and progressive Maire decided that it would save the commune a considerable amount of money - meaning less local tax :thumbup:
This has been running for 2 years now and I'm not aware of anyone who has complained abou it.
Master of Sex
Been over 20 years since we lived anywhere with street lighting. Still, it was nice of the local council to write and ask me my opinion on switching our non-existant street lighting off.
Sex God
Quote by Jewlnmart
Been over 20 years since we lived anywhere with street lighting. Still, it was nice of the local council to write and ask me my opinion on switching our non-existant street lighting off.
:laughabove:
