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Science/nature/environment

A good idea

(5 Posts)
absent Sat 02-Feb-13 11:19:10

France is introducing a law whereby the internal lights in all non-residential buildings must be extinguished one hour after the last person has left; external and shop window lights must go out by 1 am. Not only does this reduce the waste of electricity, it also massively reduces light pollution.

Somehow, having walked through Whitehall late at night, I don't see HMG going in that direction.

Butty Sat 02-Feb-13 11:28:53

This does surprise me! wink I have spent the last 10 years wondering - "Is that shop/office open or not?" when out and about doing what needs to be done. The French are not known for their wasteful usage of utilities. This sounds as if we are now going to be plunged into the dark even more.
Our village in deepest rural France doesn't even have street lighting ........ but the lack of light pollution provides the most superbly clear night skies. smile

absent Sat 02-Feb-13 11:55:56

Butty I think it comes into force at the beginning of July. The night sky and lack of light pollution is one of the things I love about New Zealand.

Mishap Sat 02-Feb-13 12:17:10

I have always felt irritated by banks of TV sets on in closed shops at night. Sounds like a sensible idea to me.

nightowl Sat 02-Feb-13 12:38:27

Sounds like a good idea to me, and I think it should be extended to computers and all other electrical equipment usually left on standby (though not easy to enforce that I know). I would go even further and ban the installation of air conditioning in office buildings in this country. I worked in one such building which had no opening windows and air conditioning on remote control. We had no way of adjusting either the heating or air conditioning and would be alternately roasted or frozen. It was a very unhealthy environment - my team's sickness record went up and I also developed allergies for the first time in my life.