Should we turn off the street lamps after midnight?
By fizzytom
@fizzytom (752)
Maribor, Slovenia
February 11, 2008 5:36am CST
Ok, we all know about the threats from global warming and that we should try to conserve energy whebnever possible. But I heard this on the news this morning.
In the UK it has been suggested that after midnight street lamps should be turned off to save energy. Call me cyncial but I reckon that its more likely that financially strapped councils would want to do this to save money rather than for any environmental reasons.
There are three reasons why I would be against this. The first is that I don't think its safe to do this in many areas. It amkes people more vulnerable to atttack and gives house-breakers even more cover to get away with burgling people's homes.
Next, i think that it says that we are being dictated to - like a kid being told when to go to bed. Lots of people work nights or just find themelves walking home in the early hours. A nightclub doesn't usually close until 2.00 a.m. and I don't want to come home on unlit streets.
Finally, where I live dog mess is a big problem and we have to pick our way around it on the pavements. Turn off the lights and we'll have no chance of keeping our feet clean!
What do you think? A good idea or plain ridiculous?
5 people like this
12 responses
@jtr115 (722)
• United States
11 Feb 08
Turning off all the lights isn't a very safe idea. I wonder if the streetlights could be programmed so that only every other light is turned off. The streetlights could also have energy-saving LED lights installed. Another idea would be to install motion detectors in the light poles, then the lights could be dimmed (not turned off completely) if no one is in the area.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
12 Feb 08
Wow, you are good I was going to make the same suggestions.
@lirael (501)
• Philippines
11 Feb 08
I think its plain ridiculous. Recently, my community was faced with something similar. Somebody important proclaimed that there was something illegal about the way our street lamps were made and decided to have them removed. I don't know what exactly happened but apparently, somebody with enough sense pointed out to that man how illogical his proclamations were.
@loudhummer14 (535)
• Philippines
12 Feb 08
i guess no. not a very good idea if you ask me. there are people who work late and letting them walk in the dark is like inviting robbers on his way. then the reason why he/she works late is senseless. there are more ways (a lot) as to how to conserve energy. like what was mentioned by others who posted. there are solar light we can use. we use one here at home. we bought it in japan. it automatically turns off in the morning and automatically turns on at night. it doesn't use electric energy. relies alot from the sun.
@lady0fdarkness (73)
• United States
11 Feb 08
Sounds like the big dogs are trying to save an extra buck or two pr even three. And those bucks are probably going right into their pockets. If they really wanted to do something about global warming, then start off by cutting down on other things that actually cause global warming.
I cannot stand unlit streets! It's really dangerous at night when you're driving down a dark road and an on coming car has very dim lights.
Well.... if they ever enforce this rule in the UK, then good luck finding clean shoes to wear!
@chris1314 (784)
•
11 Feb 08
I think that just by turning every-other one off between 2-4am would reduce the amount of electricity consumed by a massive amount.
I dont think that they will ever turn all of them off, or crime would go through the roof wouldnt it :/
...I think that it is a good idea, would saave massivly on CO2, but then i agree, the council would only do it if it benifited them in a financial way!!!!
@fizzytom (752)
• Maribor, Slovenia
12 Feb 08
Yes, I think the council's main motivation was probably money.
Turning off every other lamp might work in some places but where I live I think it would be too dark.
I think we should first be telling the council to turn off the lights in the Civic Centre at night and not to light the building up from the grounds either.
@AJ1952Chats (2332)
• Anderson, Indiana
20 Mar 08
Ridiculous!
Las Vegas, Reno, and other gambling spots are lit up like The Fourth of July and Christmas combined 365/24/7.
Until this is no longer true, the powers-that-be where you live shouldn't try to hide behind this flimsy excuse and should come clean and say, "We're sorry, but we're going to have to turn off the street lights after midnight even though it will leave your houses, cars, and you in more danger of being violated--not to mention all of the doggie-doo waiting to be stepped in and the overall feeling of being dictated to--because we have been dipping into the community chest to pay for our call-girls and other perks and are scraping the bottom of the barrel."
Here's a song that your post has brought to mind. I hope you enjoy it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcOiaAhcsG0
@anonymili (3138)
•
13 Feb 08
I do agree that it's the councils trying to save money rather than for environmental reasons that they want to switch off the lights. They charge us an arm and a leg for it anyway (through council tax and all the other taxes we pay) - people have mentioned solar lighting as an alternative and I do feel that would be a good way to go. It just is not safe to have unlit streets and why should we feel we have to be home by midnight cos the street lights will be off? If I come home at 4am (which isn't that often), I want to be sure that someone is not waiting behind a car on my own street waiting to mug or rape or kill me!
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
11 Feb 08
What I don't understand is why all cities, metropolises, are NOT going to Solar Power. Technology today is so great, that even in winter, with so little sun-light, these work effectively. Solar lighting can also be hydro assisted. therefore if there is just too little sunlight, they can be power assisted. All my exterior lighting is Solar and it is still on & strong at daybreak.
NO, I do not think your streets should be unlit, but you could be the drive for alternate power sources.
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
12 Feb 08
I think it is dangerous to darken a place after midnight, especially if it is within a city or town. I can understand it if it is the highway, motorway or expressway where there is very little traffic after late hours, and people try and avoid traveling across towns during such times. People who work the late shift and have to come home past the midnight hour will feel a sense of eerieness if there are no light around. Even with lights on, walking on a lonely street is already a creepy experience. Those who are out to waylay, rob or hurt people late at night or in the early hours of the morning will welcome this suggestion to save energy because their task will be made much easier under the cover of darkness. Also I think it is dangerous for motorists to drive around without street lamps turned on, because the later it is, the faster people tend to drive. If this suggestion goes through, I think less and less people will want to work late shifts.
@rookiekan (882)
• China
11 Feb 08
it;s a ridiculous decision,i cant imagin the environment where there is no any light for walker,it will be very horrific.as u said above,it makes people more vulnerable when they walk alone and i am sure that the rate of criminous will soon boost.it do more harm than do good i think
