Blinded by the light
I think that I can now say that I have completely gone mad.
Christmas lights. I can't stand them anymore. I mean really, since when has installing 10,000 little bulbs of light, a six foot plastic Santa Claus, or this monstrosity had anything with the birth of Christ?
All over this fine nation, and the one just south of us, people try and out-do each other with the amounts of gaudy displays, sheer numbers of lights, and who can run up the biggest power bill. It's turned into a display of wealth, stupidity, and arrogance.
I have thought of some pros and cons of outdoor lighting at Christmas, and I thought that I would share it with you. First, the pros:
Ummm, let me think...really now, I am still thinking...I really can't think of any. I guess that there isn't any.
I know some of my friends (mostly female) would say that it looks "pretty", but I think it looks cheap. I have been told that it is supposed to make ones house look like a gingerbread house. Since when did gingerbread houses have plastic candy-canes or plywood reindeer?
Okay, now for the cons:
-power usage. I would hate to see the power meter on some of these houses. They must be spinning faster than a neutron star! Next time you look at a house all lit up, think of how many tonnes of air pollution the power plant pumped into the air, or how many hectares of forest were cut down to build a lake behind a hydro power dam. Do those lights still look as nice?
-light pollution. Take a look up in the sky after dark. On a clear night, can you see stars? How many? Probably not many. Can you see the Milky Way or the Orion Nebula? No. Why? Light pollution. On a cloudy night, look up at the yellowy-orange glow. All of this is wasted energy.
-traffic congestion. If your neighbourhood is one of those that has many over-the-top displays, think of all those vehicles jockeying around to get a look. Burning all that gasoline. More pollution. Not to mention, you have to leave home an hour earlier to get somewhere. And then there is the people parking on your lawn, pissing in your garden. Nice scene.
-fire hazard. How many of these people that put on these garish displays, really know what an Amp is, or maybe know what the limit of these Amps is for say, a electrical breaker? My guess? Not many. I am sure that there are some smart ones out there that consult with an electrician before going at it, but how many have burnt their houses down by running 50 Amps through a 15 Amp breaker? Probably a few.
Maybe I am getting a little grumpy in my old age, or maybe my common sense is taking over. I don't know. I'm just geting sick of seeing all this wonton commercialism and waste.
I would also like to be able to see the stars once in a while.
Anyone interested in finding out a little more about light pollution, here are a few links to get you going.
Citizens For Responsible Lighting
International Dark-Sky Association
Southern BC And Washington Light Pollution Map
Christmas lights. I can't stand them anymore. I mean really, since when has installing 10,000 little bulbs of light, a six foot plastic Santa Claus, or this monstrosity had anything with the birth of Christ?
All over this fine nation, and the one just south of us, people try and out-do each other with the amounts of gaudy displays, sheer numbers of lights, and who can run up the biggest power bill. It's turned into a display of wealth, stupidity, and arrogance.
I have thought of some pros and cons of outdoor lighting at Christmas, and I thought that I would share it with you. First, the pros:
Ummm, let me think...really now, I am still thinking...I really can't think of any. I guess that there isn't any.
I know some of my friends (mostly female) would say that it looks "pretty", but I think it looks cheap. I have been told that it is supposed to make ones house look like a gingerbread house. Since when did gingerbread houses have plastic candy-canes or plywood reindeer?
Okay, now for the cons:
-power usage. I would hate to see the power meter on some of these houses. They must be spinning faster than a neutron star! Next time you look at a house all lit up, think of how many tonnes of air pollution the power plant pumped into the air, or how many hectares of forest were cut down to build a lake behind a hydro power dam. Do those lights still look as nice?
-light pollution. Take a look up in the sky after dark. On a clear night, can you see stars? How many? Probably not many. Can you see the Milky Way or the Orion Nebula? No. Why? Light pollution. On a cloudy night, look up at the yellowy-orange glow. All of this is wasted energy.
-traffic congestion. If your neighbourhood is one of those that has many over-the-top displays, think of all those vehicles jockeying around to get a look. Burning all that gasoline. More pollution. Not to mention, you have to leave home an hour earlier to get somewhere. And then there is the people parking on your lawn, pissing in your garden. Nice scene.
-fire hazard. How many of these people that put on these garish displays, really know what an Amp is, or maybe know what the limit of these Amps is for say, a electrical breaker? My guess? Not many. I am sure that there are some smart ones out there that consult with an electrician before going at it, but how many have burnt their houses down by running 50 Amps through a 15 Amp breaker? Probably a few.
Maybe I am getting a little grumpy in my old age, or maybe my common sense is taking over. I don't know. I'm just geting sick of seeing all this wonton commercialism and waste.
I would also like to be able to see the stars once in a while.
Anyone interested in finding out a little more about light pollution, here are a few links to get you going.
Citizens For Responsible Lighting
International Dark-Sky Association
Southern BC And Washington Light Pollution Map
posted by Travelcedric at 20:22
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home