Except that if all the streetlights went out at 10pm every night, violent crime would be up 200%. Everywhere. Immediately.
I do not believe so..
Thieves and criminals need light as well for their night business, right?
It is just that we (people) feel safer in illuminated areas.. pure physiological issue, nothing else.
I would like to see some harder evidence for the statement above.
BTW, in total darkness it is much easier to spot torches etc.. so crime may go down actually (because it is easier to spot any unusual behaviour). Unless thieves are using IR equipment ??
This is a blurb I just received from our Environmental & Sustainability Initiatives Unit. I think a 9% drop is significant but, as they say, it should be all the time!
-------------------------------
Well we are well and truly into the last 48 hours of rallying for Earth Hour. Earth Hour is about creating awareness and in particular we want Earth Hour 2010 at UOW to be about switching things off.
Champions, we need you to chat with staff, make the pledge and check things are off in your building. From Monday 29th we will start running the building by building reports to look at how energy consumptions changed, and stack up the behavioural reports on what each areas did to participate.
Further, please remember UOW measure this over the whole weekend not just that one hour so we can learn more about our typical weekend energy behaviour. The goal of Earth Hour for the ESI team is to better understand the energy baseload over a weekend, better understand the barriers that exist for staff and students in terms of switching things off .
Last year we ditched 9% of our energy usages purely by changing the behaviour of people when they left on Friday. We have not seen that type of saving again since March 2009. In March 2010 we not only need to crack the 9% but ESI also need to learn how to move us closer to reducing that amount of energy every weekend.
Ultimately….does one weekend per year make an energy difference ?– arguably no. The difference that weekend makes is about awareness, education and the possibilities that exist with action. It’s about looking at the bigger picture.
Please make sure you are considering the bigger picture on Friday afternoon and switch something off. From there ESI will use the behavioural information and energy data we get to look at how we make energy saving behaviour, simple, actionable and sustainable.
Earth Hour shows us what is possible - Earth Hour is an opportunity to set a target. So, we are asking everyone to show us what is possible.
I am with you Wavy, this is largely a pointless exercise that does nothing really. Most of the real carbon emissions foir this particular exercise are derived from street lighting which is left on because councils are scared witless of being sued. Buildings in cities are left well lit and as a result nothing really happens.
Earth hour, lucky we really are not in dire need to reduce emissions (yeah yeah I don't believe that carbon emissions are resulting in real climate change).
Except that if all the streetlights went out at 10pm every night, violent crime would be up 200%. Everywhere. Immediately.
Statistacally incorrect more robberies happen during daylight (google it)
now wouldn't it be easier to target graffiti artists instead of lighting targets for them they would have to bring their own light making them easier to target
Yes it's on again - 27th March, they want people to turn out the lights for a whole whopping 1 hour at 8:30 pm, just once this year. Oh what a difference that will make.
If these morons were serious about actually doing something with any real impact they should be pushing for all external lights including streetlights, landmarks and office blocks to be turned off at midnight to dawn, EVERY NIGHT.
And we might even be able to see the night sky.
Thoughts ?
Yes i totally agree that would be great And 8:30 is too early anyway its still quite light then grrrr
Every bit counts in my mind and it does make a difference when the electricity bill arrives.
This would be the same electricity bill that is going to increase by 64% because the state government (NSW if you are here) isn't making enough profit from electricity consumption because we aren't using enough of it?
This would be the same electricity bill that is going to increase by 64% because the state government (NSW if you are here) isn't making enough profit from electricity consumption because we aren't using enough of it?
Rock. Meet hard place
I am pretty sure that electricity was privatised so the government doesn't make money directly from its sale thats how it is in QLD and I think it is the same in all states of australia. And the price rise is more to do with the reliance of non renewable energy sources.
Except that if all the streetlights went out at 10pm every night, violent crime would be up 200%. Everywhere. Immediately.
I believe studies have shown that crime, violent or otherwise, usually happens in poorly lit or poor used lighting areas. Crooks need light to perform there dastardly deeds. It is pretty hard to do so much of their stuff in the dark, if you think about it, unless you are Riddick.
This would be the same electricity bill that is going to increase by 64% because the state government (NSW if you are here) isn't making enough profit from electricity consumption because we aren't using enough of it?
Rock. Meet hard place
EEEK I haven't heard about that one. Might be time to have another look at solar power for the farm.
If Earth hour was a serious venture then lights would be shut down after 1am in suburban districts and 3am in city streets. If the governments took this seriously then it would fund alternative electrical sources so that the main stream coal fired energy production can be eliminated. Instead it just keeps the status quo as is and does absolutely nothing. Talk of clean coal and yet we have more sun on average than many other countries. Yep Earth hour is just lip service to keep the greens appeased.
Even if we are not responsible for climate change (which I whole heartly now believe) the reduction of pollution by using renewable resources has got to help the environment in general. This is why governments have to be serious, but they pander to those who are paying the bills.
Earth Hour - Pointless feel-good stuff ?
I haven't heard about that one. Might be time to have another look at solar power for the farm.
