Earth Hour Poll ???

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

I am just curious about how many people are planning on participating in tonights "earth hour" program...

For those not familiar with it, People in Sydney are being encouraged (or alternatively shamed depending on your oinion) into to turning off "non essiential lights in Sydney tonight for one hour.

The observatory is having a special viewing and it is hoped that many usually not "seeable due" to lightt pollution stars and other objects will become visible.

So,(assuming I figured out how to do the poll right) how will you vote?

[acropolite (Phil)]

I'm all for it, we already turn every unnecessary light off in the house and all the lights in the house that can be replaced with compact flouro have been. Personally I'd like to see all streetlights reduced to 11 watt compact flouro (in lieu of 250-400 Watt Sodium or mercury vapour) and put closer to the ground and turned off after midnight.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

While my lights will be out for Earth hour...I will actually be at the Rugby...although based on recent form it is likely to be a losing effort go Tahs!

I think reducing light pollution is a good thing...better view but also reduction in energy usage...

[ving (David)]

anyone who doesnt want to pay more for their eletricity than thay have to probably already does this

i think its a great idea, but it should have been done on a new moon night

[casstony]

I have understood for some years that it's a fathers/husbands duty to patrol the house shutting doors and switching off lights........because nobody else does.

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Light I hate lights at the best of times, It will do everyone the world of good to save energy. If everyone did it, that turns out to be a massive amount of energy saved. Lets get behind it and let the councils know how much power they are wasting with wasted street lighting too.

[Ric]

It's a fantastic idea and I hope that a lot of the big companies participate as well.
Personally my lights are always off, I'm a amateur astronomer.

Cheers

[CoombellKid]

We kinda do it every night here, especially in summer. If we didn't we get a couple
of zillion bugs flying around them. Actually the only light in our house of a
night is my desk lamp and TV. I turn my monitor off when I'm not using the
PC. The other thing is if we all really tried maybe Country Energy and the
like will lose capital from it lol.

I kinda like the idea going around via email recently of trying to buy your fuel from
independant or come to the arrangement where we all make a pact to buy fuel
from one supplier. And when they fall over, do it again to another, dang I love
to see one fall over.

Not really a tree hugger, probably because I work in the timber industry.
So I cant really call my self a greenie.

[danielsun]

I had never heard of it until now and am all for it and think it should be done nation wide at least once a month, although i always make sure to switch of any unused lighting or power and teach my kids to do the same.
I totally agree with Phil (acropolite) that we need to have more efficient and less polluting street lights!

Really, everyone should be doing it everyday!!!

[astro_nutt]

Yeah!!..turn off every second streetlight..(except at intersections!)..that should make a diffrence!!

[Ric]

Hi Daniel, there are a few street lights in Canberra now equipped with motion detectors and only come on when you are a few metres from them.
A great idea but theres not enough of them.

Cheers

[anthony2302749]

It is a very good idea, but poorly thought out by the organisers. Why arrange such an event on a night of the full moon when most of the night will be awash with moon light. The general population of Sydney will not full appreciate such an event and will not see the correlation between public lighting and light pollution. For event like this, it should have been organised at the time of the new moon. This way the general population can see what the night sky really looks like in all its glory and see and appreciate the connection between public lighting and light pollution and the absolute waste of energy which we the public pays for through our rate.

[CoombellKid]

Anthony,

So true

regards,CS

[mickoking]

My lights will be off

[astroron (Ron)]

I'm the same as most of the other members I only have lights and equpment on when I need it

[sheeny (Al)]

Should be more of it! We need to wean the general population onto dark nights... The density of street lighting, not just in Sydney but, from my observations, right across NSW is over the top. I reckon 75% of street lights could be turned off permanently with little if any adverse effect.

Al.

[norm]

I voted 'indifference' only due to the fact, I generally switch off all lights around the house and where possible all bulbs have been converted to those energy efficient ones. I don't need some 'earth hour' to inform me of the benefits of what less power consumption means.....unfortunately I guess some do.

If anything they should be targetting big dept or grocery chains.

As for the idea of turning street lights off, I like the idea, but it would also be an open invitation to crime, not just burglaries, but also sexual attacks.

Maybe they deliberately timed it for near full moon so things would still be 'bright' for those going outside at night.