who left all the lights on?

[Perry]

I'm trying to save a dime by replacing incandescents and there are literally 100's of thousands (probably millions) of 1000 w metal halide and sodium lights lighting empty parking lots!!

Whose idea was it that every empty parking lot in this great country of ours needs one hundred street lights blazing all night???

[russ]

The lamps you are talking about are selected for efficiency. They make the specs on your CFL look sick.

Turn the street lights off and there will be whining heard across the country/around the world about safety yak, yak.

[Bob_man069]

maybe its time to add motion sensors or something. surely there is a way to ensure safety is still considered as well as the environment. what about all those damn office buildings that leave their lights on all night as well.

[Mike90250]

the office buildings have no heaters, and rely on the lighting and occupants body heat, to keep the place warm. If they turn the lights off, the place gets cold and everyone will bring in electric heaters....

[russ]

Very many of the green stories about power use have very few facts attached to them.

It is a surprise how much havoc a few percent of the population can create with loud screaming that so often has no basis whatsoever.

Greens are not always wrong but they certainly have a track record of being wrong more often than right as best I can see.

One fable I was reading today was about how solar and wind over the US are pretty much constant in output - clouds and storms don't really count. Not that the grids are connected like that and the same bunch seems to be against the grids and central power generation.

[Perry]

One fable I was reading today was about how solar and wind over the US are pretty much constant in output - clo

What does that have to do with turning out lights in empty parking lots? Turning out millions of unnecessary lights will save energy and reduce light pollution. This is not a myth. Look out the window next time you fly and tell me again those lights are needed.

[russ]

It has lots to do with the fairy tales posted by some of our more imaginative types when they dream up scenarios to worry about.

Of course, making sensational claims makes for more hits and most of the bloggers on green sites are paid per hit. They make a living from what they post - why be constrained by a few facts.

Russ

[john p]

Perry a lot of large office buildings believe it or not dont have light switches that can be turned on or off. The theory behind it is it simplifies wiring and the flourescents last a lot longer.
Certainly where I live its not to keep the building warm as the daytime temp never drops below 50 deg f

[Sunking]

If you can afford to keep the lights on, COOL, more power to you. But the big concern is security.