Topic: Power, Lights, and Saving.

[TechPro]

People are a little bit nuts about power, and trying to save a little juice here and there.  Walk into any hardware store and you'll find stands, displays, even full advertisements touting the ways this item or that will save you power and/or fuel, thus saving you a bundle of cash.  Power companies are on a constant crusade to get everyone to use less of their product (which would seem counterproductive for the power company).  Light bulb companies tout the savings of using their bulbs.  Gadget and device makers tout the efficiency of their devices.  Everywhere you go it's save here, save there.

Someone somewhere realized you could put timers on stuff to make getting things turned on and off so that things don't get left on needlessly.  More recently, it's become the thing to include a motion sensor.  Now street lights typically have a sensor to detect when the sun goes down (or up).  Computers detect idleness and shutdown components.  All this and much more is common.

All of this is well and good, I suppose.  Though each time I'm in a public restroom (dealing with ... physics) and the lights turn off because it can't tell I'm there because of the stall height... that's when I have my doubts.

[VANGUARD]

I would never say to be wasteful, and it's partially about the product itself more than electricity. Like a game console, hate to leave it on too long and burn it out.

Am not one to litter. I never dump any liquids on the grass, except for maybe water. No soda or juices, nope.

But I think it's strange how they try to "conserve, and reduce", while now they have TV monitors at some places saying "who's available to help." and more light and screens that used to not be there.

Saw at Minneapolis "share the road....right lane turns right only". why not a sign? or two that is. It's all lights though, a screen.

I tried talking with someone, thinking he'd be upset by it, a recyclers; probably one of those help the planet types. hes like "it doesn't draw much power."
what??

Point is, it doesn't need to at all. A sign, a billboard, blackboard, whatever, it works just as well.

Oh well.

[Matthew]

Honestly though, I bet those screens don't draw much more, if any, power than the lights that would otherwise illuminate them. Plus they can be changed to display new or different messages where previously a new sign would be needed.

[VANGUARD]

I personally don't care. If you want lights all over the world, okay. as long as we don't go blind or anything.

[Scyphi]

Then there is, of course, the thing called light pollution.

Personally, I'm with Vanguard on the screen-over-signs issue. A screen may have its uses, but a sign just seems more practical and easier to maintain.

[VANGUARD]

thanks. and think, power goes out. yikes!!!!

[Matthew]

Then there is, of course, the thing called light pollution.

Personally, I'm with Vanguard on the screen-over-signs issue. A screen may have its uses, but a sign just seems more practical and easier to maintain.

I to be fair, I'd bet money that a screen produces less light pollution than a sign with a light on it.

As for the power going out, that's a fair point, but then all the lights illuminating the signs would go out too.

[VANGUARD]

there would be no light from the sign, period. Only thing around, traffic light, street light.

[TechPro]

Or just use how most (older) signs are done ... Light reflecting paint.  Headlights of oncoming car shines on sign, letters/message reflects back ... No additional power needed, good day and night, all year around.  Power? Who needs it for a crummy sign?

[VANGUARD]

Exactly!

[Scyphi]

It's worked for decades already without fail, so why change? Especially seeing how a screen seems like a step backwards in more than one way?

[Matthew]

Usually overhead signs have lights, because car headlights don't point up. But you're right, for most applications, a good old fashioned reflective sign is the simplest and best solution.