I'm all for saving the planet, only turning on lights when someone's in the room etc but why are shopping centres excempt?? Join me to rant please so I know I'm not being anal about this. TIA

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

Such a lovely day today, I take ds to buy sunblock, Westfield, although lovely window's, have every bloody light lit up. Why???? crazy. Your thoughts on this please. I recycle, use limited lights etc, so why do they insist on having every single bloody light lit up on a lovely sunny day. Would it have made any difference to turn them off? Probably not. Walking home we spot several empty shops with lights switched on. Why? Who pay's??

rant over. We get told all the time about global warming when it's companies like this who are causing the most damage. Crazy IMO!!

[sleepyeyes]

Oh my DH was on the design team for Westfield and I still haven't managed to see it all finished.

Anyway my input: DH says during his degree they tested/measured the cost and electricity used to keep a light on 24 hours on versus turning it on and off during the day.
The results were it certainly cost less to keep them on (think the majority of the electricity is used when you first switch the light on) which I why in buildings they leave the lights on.
Not sure about the energy used and the pollution used.

When it comes to big business saving money is the most important sadly.

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

Hmm. There really is alot of lights though. I can't see how it's saving them money to have them on all the time when they are not needed, nor can I see the advantage of having lights facing horizontally 50 ft in the air. There really is no point IMO.

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

This gets my goat too. Woolworths. Closed down and empty, but the signs outside are still lit up 24/7. Why?!

[DeathbyDora]

On the same subject, I just don't get the whole 'turn down' service at hotels. They claim to be environmentally doing their bit by not washing towels or bedding unless you ask, yet they come into your room, usually when it's perfectly bright and sunny outside, close ALL the curtains and turn ALL the lights on!??

Not that I stay in hotels often, just never really saw the point of it..!

[thirtypence]

I shop in a store that adjust it's lighting based on ambient lighting levels. Today it can't make up it's mind about whether it wants to be sunny or not and it was like a disco in there.

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

I wonder if it's true about keeping lighting on as opposed to turning on/off and the cost issues and using more power not less? Sleepyeyes, was that test using low energy bulbs or other? My Db has been telling me for years that it costs more to turn on/turn off all the time, but I thought that he was talking tosh tbh. Not all my bulbs are low energy, but most are now(except the halogen and I'm not sure they make LE replacements for those yet). I'm always telling my Ds off for leaving lights on.

[sleepyeyes]

I think it was normal bulbs, it was in the 90's so a while ago but DH says it still applies to normal bulbs.
My DH is very big on not wasting money but he always insist on keeping certain lights on. I.E The bathroom light as that gets switched on/off the most.
My DH is an uber geek and not known for telling porkies so I believe him. Mind you it has taken me a year to be convinced.

I remember about a year or so ago in London for part of a night office buildings all turned their lights out for some sort of an environmental awareness on light pollution in the city. YET they still resist making real environment changes as long as their seen doing token gestures.

BUT he does say due to the fact most of the electricity used for the lights is when they are turned on then environmentally if a light is switched on/off often it may be best to keep it on.
The research they did was looking at cost so he couldn't say for sure.

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

So normally, shops are open from say 8am (for the staff to set up) to 6pm right? It's light from 7am (ish) to 10pm so where's the need for bulbs???