A "Polemic"

"After a considerable delay Street Lighting by the Essex County Council has now been turned off between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. 
The stated reason for this is that it is a "Green Issue". 
Essentially the statement is that by cutting the street lighting between the hours indicated there will be a saving of electricity and therefore of Carbon Dioxide emissions. 
It is tacitly assumed that Carbon Dioxide emissions are causing Global Warming. 
It is certainly NOT SCIENCE that Global warming is occurring. 
It is certainly NOT SCIENCE that Carbon Dioxide emissions are causing Global Warming. 

One is reminded of the HYPE over the Ozone Layer that has now seemingly gone out of the news. 
CFCs (ChloroFluoroCarbons - chemicals made of chlorine, fluorine and carbon) continue to be pumped into the atmosphere by "Developing Countries" at a huge rate. Other chemicals have been substituted by Britain and so called "developed" countries. 
"Developing" countries are exempt. 
Apparently it will take about 65 years current levels of CFC to be dissipated. 
There has been no immediate indication of any sort that the ozone layer has made any recovery whatsoever. 
Now we hear virtually nothing!

What we have is theories which may or may not be reasonable, but which certainly do not have any rigorous proof. 
The main contribution to heat retention on the earth can be seen on nearly any day by glancing up at the sky. 
It is water vapour, i.e. clouds. 
There should also be absolutely no doubt about it that heat retention is vital for biological processes as currently appertain. 
The effect of Carbon Dioxide is about 3%. 
Moreover water vapour retains heat throughout the infrared spectrum. 
Carbon Dioxide only reflects heat from about three small portions of the overall spectrum. 
Increasing the Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere simply affects the height at which it is reflected.
It has little overall effect, if any. 

To claim the it is a Green Issue is  disingenuous. 
If we wish to save or stop using coal, natural gas and oil because sooner or later those resources will run out, that is one thing. 
To make out a different reason is quite another. 
If we can rely on "renewable" energy, by which is meant at present the energy provided by the Sun then that is reasonable. 
(Of course sooner or later the sun will implode...)
To invent spurious reasons, or to rely on arguments of doubtful validity, is another. 

All we have is hypotheses which may or may not be valid. 

So, what is the problem, you may ask? 

Well the problem is this. 

If it is a Green Issue what is the Carbon Footprint of implementing the scheme? 
In Essex Matters the boast is made that £2 million pounds of the Essex County Council's budget is to be allocated for "Green Initiatives".
£2 million pounds represents a huge Carbon Footprint. 
Make no doubt about it that essentially Expenditure and Carbon Footprints go together. 
How many office staff and their corresponding Carbon Footprints does this represent. 
Incidentally what is the Carbon Footprint of the 24 page "Essex Matters" propaganda magazine distributed to every household by the  Essex County Council. 

So, streets in some localities in Essex, as an experiment, are to be deprived of lighting on the grounds of Green Issues. 
So what, you may well ask? 

Well firstly it increases dangers to persons walking home. 
In the darkness one cannot see pitfalls in the road. One cannot see kerbs. 
One may have one's eye poked out by an overhanging branch. One may even bump into a Lamp Post! 
Traffic will have difficulty in seeing people, and in turning corners safely. 
The risk of  an elderly or disabled person falling over in the road, unable to get up, and then being run over cannot be ignored. 
Increased risk will almost certainly result in higher insurance premiums. 

Many people return home after midnight or in the early ours of the morning, after parties, going to the pub, going to a dance or just eating out. These people are already likely to be more vulnerable. 

Darkness provides cover for antisocial activity. 

Emergency services are at greater risk. 

Recommendations

If you need to use the darkened roads carry a good torch. 
Use high visibility clothing. 
Of course these are not the sort of thing that people who return home from a night out normally wish to carry. 
Nor are they the sort of thing someone called out to a neighbouring friend or relative in an emergency likely to search out.
If you ride a bike make sure that you have reflectors, front and rear and that your lights work. 
Cyclists are often totally unaware that they are practically invisible to a motorist if they wear dark clothes and have no lights. 

Further Remarks

Has the Council made any provision for claims that may be made as a result of an accident that could have been avoided with street lighting. 
Has the Council made any assessment of the likely cost to individuals of their policies. 

If there is an overall saving why have not the selected localities been offered an appropriate rebate on their Council Tax.

If there is not an overall saving, then why have the lights been switched off at all? "