Can we get Americans to conserve energy on nights of Meteor Showers and Eclipses? The reason I ask is there are several such dates throughout each year, which such special events occur and if we told people of the need to conserve energy and the issues with light pollution then we might save quite a bit of energy over a years period? We could have a rule, or a suggestion that require lights out for light pollution issues during these events in our heavens. We could ask citizens to respect light pollution issues and tout the beauty of the events and ask citizens to be cognizant that others will need the lights off to enjoy the beauty. If we can save the energy of 25 to 30 night per year with dimmed lights and work to resist the temptation to turn all the lights on which are not needed we stand to save 5% of our lighting energy usage each year and in doing so about 2-3 percent of our nations total energy usage on the power grid. That is a huge savings and worth a look see. Will it really work? Well ask yourself if you were asked nicely to use less lighting during these nights, would you? Sure you would. Now then what if you got into a habit of turning off the lights in the house you did not need? What then, well you would simply use less power and if everyone did this also, well, you get the point. So, perhaps you might consider this in 2006. |
