I was driving across to my office in the morning, it was around 8:30 am and a bright & sunny morning. And what do I suddenly see – on a main road, all the halogen lights are on – at that hour !!
Now that is the raison’d’atre for our plight and the energy situation that the country is in. Insensitivity and disregard for energy conservation. Is that a familiar story – in our lives, our homes & families.
While writing this, I am reminded of a late night party that I was in. It was near winding up time, and while we were gulping down the sweet dishes and sitting outside in the host’s spacious garden, someone came around, and switched off a two lights from the four lights that were switched on – I remarked and asked him to switch off the other two lights – since they were incandescant lamps and consumed more power. What had been switched off were two CFL – the lumen output was almost similar for both sets. Naturally, I suggested that if two lights had to be switched off, ideally should be the incandescant lamps that consumed more power. I was taken aback when – one of my close friend scoffed at the remark – bordering on sarcasm – the uselessness of swapping the set that were on and off. Now this person is well educated, is doing well in life – but is seemingly unaware of the challenges that are staring at us in the face as people and as a world.
Coming back to the government and that powers that be – and the halogen lamp lit main road at 830 am, I was left pondering who ( or what ) would have been responsible for the lamps being left switched on.. was the person who was supposed to switch them off not in office , was there no back up then ? Did he forget ?
There is a daylight measuring device (costs about INR 100) that can automatically switch off lights once there is sufficient ambient light. No need for manual intervention. I am sure a manual override is also possible to be overlaid on this. But is there no thought in the direction ?
Or I can just rest with a conjecture that there was a device – and it malfunctioned that particular day. It would be great, if everyone can write in their experiences of seeing streetlights that are on – in broad daylight and evaluating the scale of the problem.