Letter: Not convinced by council carbon footprint actions
On local lampposts in Harlescott Grange Shrewsbury, there are messages informing residents that the street lights are going to be turned off between the hours of 11pm and 5am.
On local lampposts in Harlescott Grange Shrewsbury, there are messages informing residents that the street lights are going to be turned off between the hours of 11pm and 5am.
This, they say, is to reduce the council’s carbon footprint. How very magnanimous of them.
If this were the reason for turning off street lights it would be amazing.
So can the council tell me why they are reducing their carbon footprint this way and yet intend to allow Veolia to build and operate an incinerator which will increase the carbon footprint?
It appears to me we might have wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Linda Crane
Harlescott Grange
Shrewsbury
Comments for: "Letter: Not convinced by council carbon footprint actions"
The Original Jake
Think about it holistically: Shropshire is not an isolated system; it's connected by land, air and water to the rest of the planet.
Veolia are going to build incinerators and they are going to pay money to whichever council hosts them.
By declining, Shropshire Council won't get the money and the incinerator will simply get built elsewhere.
The net result for the global carbon economy is exactly the same wherever it's built, but Shropshire Council will have slightly healthier coffers if it's built on their soil.
By turning off the street lights they *are* making a net difference, because other street lights won't get switched on somewhere else to compensate. They're also saving money by doing it, of course. I don't know why they don't use that message instead of the carbon footprint one, as it's more credible.
eva land
I think the incinerator issue is not really connected here except in that they say it is going to provide electricity for 10,000 homes.
I have just picked up a magazine called Severn with a picture of Theatre Severn on the front.
The whole building is lit up and yet I can see only one person through the extensive glazing.
It says it all really in my view.
The likely dangers posed to those using the now to be very dark streets at night makes me very wary of this concept.
Lord Crocker
Switching the street lights off will not save any carbon.
At night power stations run at a surplus, therefore electricity generated at this time is not used; switching the street lights off will just mean that further electricity is not used. If the council wants to reduce its carbon footprint it needs to reduce its energy consumption during the day.
I would doubt that the Council will save any money either.
I also saw that Milton Keynes are turning their street lights back on at night as a result of pedestrian fatalities.
The DR
Shropshire Council restricting its carbon footprint, where do they get it from, planners that are building supermarkets on green fields on the edge of the town, so I have to get in my car to go and shop, at one time I could get on the bus, buy furniture, electrical , DIY all the town centre, not now have to drive to Meole for electrical, Harlescott for DIY, and Harlescott Grange for Furniture, and if we want entertainment drive around the town to view the great architecture they have allowed, the blank wall in Barker street, the island in Smithfield road that soon to be was, the ugliest(official) local authority building, theatre Seven, the cheapest ever Slinky, yea,, however we do miss the cobbles in high street that were down when they were down and up when they were up, they had more ups and downs than the Himalayas , Lower Carbon footprint, Shropshire Council do your sums, street lighting savings not even a drop in the ocean
ben
What are people doing up in these early hours?
It's better to get a good nights sleep and then get up and work in the evening, personally I prefer it dark at night so I can sleep better and then be more productive so I think this is a sensible policy.
I always go round turning things off at night, its good housekeeping. Anyone who is responsible for paying the electric bill would do the same, its just common sense.