Save the planet or an excuse to rip us off

wack61

wack61

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Listening to radio 2 last week I was shocked to hear a Powys County Council in Wales is going to switch all the street lights off in a bid to save money

This means some areas will be in total blackout from 4pm in the winter, then the councillor said it, this will be a benefit to the environment saving CO2 emissions:bat:

Today a till assistant begrudgingly gave me a carrier bag in the supermarket with a look of scorn like I would be killing some dolphins with it on the way home, carrier bags FFS how much of the contents of my bin is carrier bags, about 0.00001%

I've had my Blue paper bin taken away from me, it's been replaced with a bigger, cans, paper, cardboard,plastic bottles bin, but I can't put shredded paper in it,:thinking:

90% of the paper in my house gets shredded which I suspect is pretty typical given the papers would have us believe someone is rifling through it as soon as we leave for work, so what do I do with all this shredded paper, according to the council I put it in the black bin which goes to landfill :bonk:

the UK contributes 2% towards global emissions so me or even all of us in the UK doing anything about it is as much use as taking a bucket to Hull and removing 2 gallons from the north sea to stop it flooding again.

It's all about money, if you want to keep that car on the road it's going to cost £450 to tax it next year so scrap it and buy a new BMW 1 series as it's much better for the planet.

Ignore the fact I could run my 3.0l petrol car for years and still not put out as many emissions as it took to build that new one before it's been driven a mile.:rules:

And breathe :D
 
As much as I agree with you 100% I am not getting drawn into this one as the last time I spoke out I was met with abuse from one member of the green brigade on here.
 
Actual I agree with turn the lights out, for two reason both environmental.
One to save energy and two to cut down light pollution.

If they made it compulsory that ALL shops and stores had to turn off ALL exterior lights when closed we would save a fortune in energy and I'd be able to see the starts at night.
 
whiteflyer said:
Actual I agree with turn the lights out, for two reason both environmental.
One to save energy and two to cut down light pollution.
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I'm pretty sure most of the muggers, burglars, rapists and general naughty people in Powys would agree with it too. IMHO it is all just :cuckoo:
 
wack61 said:
Listening to radio 2 last week I was shocked to hear a Powys County Council in Wales is going to switch all the street lights off in a bid to save money

This means some areas will be in total blackout from 4pm in the winter, then the councillor said it, this will be a benefit to the environment saving CO2 emissions:bat:

............. :D
Click to expand...

Stuff and nonsense, can you imagine the claims folk will make for falling on their backsides because they couldn't see where they were going?

It will never happen!


As for the green folk, Galaxy, tell them to go out an hug a tree, I'll hold yer coat!
 
Caledonia said:
I'm pretty sure most of the muggers, burglars, rapists and general naughty people in Powys would agree with it too. IMHO it is all just :cuckoo:
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I must admit muggings and the like have gone down in the last 50 years or so as we have put more and more light up.
 
whiteflyer said:
I must admit muggings and the like have gone down in the last 50 years or so as we have put more and more light up.
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Yes, but security lights at home *seems* to increase crime. By lighting your property up you are only helping them to see what they are doing!

Streetlights? What streetlights? Dark 'ere in deepest Lake District: give me the stars and no light pollution anyday :thumbs:
 
To quote Southpark: It's all a bunch of tree-hugging hippy crap...

I'm with Clarkson on this one:)
 
"They" are trying to encourage us to turn off lights at home - drive through any town at night and nearly every shop is lit up as if it is midnght but full of customers. Start by turning of unnecessary lights by big users. If their energy costs go down then so, maybe, will the costs of the goods they sell.

There is a green tax going on many things now - where does this money go. I consider is it just a new way of getting more money out of use so can we refuse to pay unless they prove that they are making things greener (other than Venomator of course who is already as green as you get).

Climate change has been happening for millions of years - history tells us this, we don't need a load of scientists or politicians to then try and charge us money for it.
 
wack61 said:
I've had my Blue paper bin taken away from me, it's been replaced with a bigger, cans, paper, cardboard,plastic bottles bin, but I can't put shredded paper in it,:thinking:

90% of the paper in my house gets shredded which I suspect is pretty typical given the papers would have us believe someone is rifling through it as soon as we leave for work, so what do I do with all this shredded paper, according to the council I put it in the black bin which goes to landfill :bonk:
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our local coucil provides us with NO recycling boxes or anything (we have to drive our cars to get rid of the bottles, cans etc that we seperate from our colectable waste) yet they provide us with the worlds smallest wheeliebins (big enough to fit 2 swingbin liners with the bins lid hanging open) and they get arsey if you put a binbag on top (infact a number of times they have left it in the allyway for local vermin to pick through)

i keep meaning to whinge at the local council about the lack of recycling provided to us as part of our council tax refuse collection.
 
I do think that every one has gone GREEN mad at the moment, with all the stupid management catch phrases - Carbon Footprint, Carbon Neutral etc. People get sucked in and start acting completely irattionaly, they go way over the top about things and end up causing more issues that have to be sorted out in the future. As far as i can tell from some programmes and some of the literature i have read, there is not a lot we can do about global warming, it is part of the weather trends that happen in cycles. We are late for the next ice age by something like 10000 years, and when it comes, there ain't gonna be a lot we can do about it. Most government's need to look at industry before people. Companies like ICI, BASF etc. create more polution and harmful emissions in one day, than the average human can in a life time. People just need to act sensibly
 
To clarify, I think the plan is to turn off alternate lights (every second one) not every light, at least that's what it says on BBC news. So it's not plunging Powys into total darkness.
 
Just a note on the shredded paper. Our council offers a composting bin, which we can use to fill with grass cuttings, egg shells, food waste and shredded paper rots up pretty good when its wet.

just fyi, maybe you can get something similar?
 
Steep said:
To clarify, I think the plan is to turn off alternate lights (every second one) not every light, at least that's what it says on BBC news. So it's not plunging Powys into total darkness.
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A resident was on the Jeremy Vine show last week, there are that few streetlights where she lives every other light means large areas in total darkness

we pay a fortune in Council tax, mine is over £1200 a year, I don't think it's too much to expect streetlights through the winter months, they're not needed so much at 3am, switch them off then :shrug:

china is building 2 power stations a week, do you think for a second they'll have anything like the filtration EU power stations will have

If the politicians would just come out with an honest statement for once, it's nothing to do with the planet, we need the money as this war in Iraq and Afghanistan is costing 3 billion pounds a year and we can't afford it
 
wack61 said:
A resident was on the Jeremy Vine show last week, there are that few streetlights where she lives every other light means large areas in total darkness

we pay a fortune in Council tax, mine is over £1200 a year, I don't think it's too much to expect streetlights through the winter months, they're not needed so much at 3am, switch them off then :shrug:
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... Lets imagine they actually give the money they save in lighting cost back to the people to spend on heating their homes ... Yeah right! :bang:


I think, 'The Problem' verses power/fuel becoming scarce and expensive, can be very useful words if used in a manipulative paragraph spoken by a trustworthy source .. and will continue to be so...
 
Talk about human induced global warming certainly creates a lot of hot air.

We are crap at dealing with catastrophes and the build-up to them -- look at the house of cards effect with the banks.

Back to the topic and I recall the outrage among older residents of my village when a few streetlights were installed. Their coverage is very poor, but better than nowt, and they act as lighthouses, allowing a late-night dog-walk or stumble home from the pub. They wouldn't be acceptable for an area where street-crime is a problem but it's all we're gonna get for our council tax.
 
If you don't like what your council is doing - tell them...

don't vote them in again.

why not use solar powered lamps - wind power - it does not need to be a mamby pamby green reason - save some money
 
It's quite funny round here at the minute because the big thing all parties are pushing is the GREEN idea. But from 2 different angles. There are plans to build a wind farm in an old quarry well away from everyone but the local hicks are having none of it! So between the Tories, labour, and Lib Dems there's this massive argument, some saying they'll build them (and keeping the younger populace, who realise this will mean cheaper power for the area, happy) and some are saying they will fight to have the planning rejected (thus keeping the old cranks in their tractors happy).

The green issue is one massive **** sandwhich that the government is forcing us all to take a bite of. But the green issue is just one more thing to add to the endless list of ****ups this government are guilty of.

Simple example: Prescrption charges. You pay your tax, which pays for the NHS. You get sick and go to your Doctor who in turn prescribes you some meds. Meds that your tax has paid for, that you then PAY FOR AGAIN! The same applies for NHS dentists, you pay your tax to pay their wages, then they charge you to be seen anyway, and then charge you for your prescription of post-procedure drugs! But don't forget, the government is doing what's best for us. Like handing over your money to bail out a bank that's gone belly up, some because of their own sleazy practises, some because they just didn't have a clue (my opinion of course lol)

Rip off Britain at it's finest. The sad thing is that we the public bend over and take it year in year out.

Rant over :D

PS: And paying £1 an hour for parking at a hospital is pretty poor too! :D
 
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I would like to see all un-needed lights turned off and sooner the better :) lights stay on all night whether anyone needs them or not ? To say that crime increases in dark areas is garbage, the little s**s are probably too frightened to be out in the dark anyway. .....I say bring back dark un-light polluted skies for us all :D

Oops in answer to the OP it's an excuse to rip us all off :bang:
 
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In fairness to Powys they have had a slight change of heart, as have one or two more councils.This as most will have read is they are taking a certain amount of speed cameras out of use to pay for amenities.Here where i live i think we are run by the belgians.We have an area by the shops the phone is used by addicts awaiting drops by m/cycle, hoodies,winoes and general dead beats.What have they done money for improvements available, do they improve area, build a mums and tots centre refurbish the oap club NO. E.U.says build raised shrubberies takes street lights out put in up lighters, build 4 foot walls its the green way.good for the environment. its more like the bloody Eureka stockade. Dark hidey holes everywhere a knob heads paradise.Bring back white lighting etc sod the greens.A question for the legally minded or more intilectual amongst us, how many other countries have this green tax is it, legal to enforce one upon us especially with the likes of America, China and India in full economic flow.A bit like tilting windmills on labours part:bang:
 
I'll agree that turning off maybe every other streetlight at night is not a bad idea, though the cost of making it so you can turn off just half of them would be high I'd imagine, with a lot of rewiring required. This then means lots of roadworks with contractors earning their pay whilst actually sitting around not doing a great deal (I wish I had a quid for everytime I've driven through roadworks with not a workman to be seen!). What I do agree with wholeheartedly is forcing shops to turn their lights out at night.

It could be worse though, the USA (or at least certain states) are making normal incandescant light bulbs illegal! You have to replace them with energy saving bulbs. Now that wouldn't be too bad over here, provided the government actually funded the switch instead of making you buy them, which they'll then tax highly just to make a few quid off that as well :)
 
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ChrisMClark said:
I'll agree that turning off maybe every other streetlight at night is not a bad idea, though the cost of making it so you can turn off just half of them would be high I'd imagine, with a lot of rewiring required. This then means lots of roadworks with contractors earning their pay whilst actually sitting around not doing a great deal (I wish I had a quid for everytime I've driven through roadworks with not a workman to be seen!). What I do agree with wholeheartedly is forcing shops to turn their lights out at night.

It could be worse though, the USA (or at least certain states) are making normal incandescant light bulbs illegal! You have to replace them with energy saving bulbs. Now that wouldn't be too bad over here, provided the government actually funded the switch instead of making you buy them, which they'll then tax highly just to make a few quid off that as well :)
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http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/10/11/eu-bans-incandescent-light-bulbs/
 
These bulbs were advertised at a bargain price of 5 for 40p at a
Asda and 5 for 50p at Morrisons, time to stock up on them.:)
 
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Going shopping on Friday, I'll have a look. I've tried energy saving bulbs before, at one time I changed every bulb in my house to them, but htey took so look to warm up and I lost count of how many times I fell down the stairs because it was too dark...not funny after you've just had knee surgery :bonk:
 
ChrisMClark said:
It could be worse though, the USA (or at least certain states) are making normal incandescant light bulbs illegal! You have to replace them with energy saving bulbs. Now that wouldn't be too bad over here, provided the government actually funded the switch instead of making you buy them, which they'll then tax highly just to make a few quid off that as well :)
Click to expand...

EDF were giving away free energy efficient ones.

The green thing makes me laugh. Sure, I am up for keeping the env cleaner and yeahs, I recycle carrier bags. But thats nothing new, how many peoples parents and grans had a kitchen drawer stuffed full o em!? :lol:

I recycle, most of what I recycle at the moment seems to be either council leaflets asking me to recycle, or leaflets asking me to vote for the green council party next time round. If they are that "green" why use flyers?!

I do my bit, though mainly as a money saving thing, turning lights off when I'm not in the room etc, efficient bulbs yada yada yada. It does seem to me though that the "green" argument is full of contradictions and hypocits.

Plus, we (earth) have gone through numerous ice ages, where the planet gets warmer again, floods, then back to an ice age where it freezes (i know I have dumbed that right down!). Prove to me with solid facts that the "global warming" is because of humans, and not part of the natural cycle of the planet and I might get a little more enthusiastic and less synical.

*all only my opinions of course!*
 
A found this lecture very rewarding in understanding part of what we're facing and also very uplifting and hopeful ..

A Richard Dimbleby Lecture, 2007, A DNA-Driven World
04 Dec 2007'

This is the first of five parts.

You can find the rest through a YTube link here.

1/5

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:thumbs:
 
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Galaxy66 said:
These bulbs were advertised at a bargain price of 5 for 40p at a
Asda and 5 for 50p at Morrisons, time to stock up on them.:)
Click to expand...

Tesco also had a yellow bin full of them yesterday, also 5 for 40p I think.
 
These bulbs are not allowed in normal waste and have to be taken to special hazerdous waste sites along with other fluorescent tubes? at least from commercial / industrial premises and the same thing will happen to domestic waste soon....... How greeen is that? :thumbsdown:
 
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