Going dark in Dallas
The energy challenge in the United States is different than it is in India. While we share some of the same challenges - growing demand, limited supply - our immediate problem is less about providing energy to those who need it, and more about reducing usage, so we don't need to add more polluting energy sources to the mix.
The Dallas city council is considering an ordinance that could help that city reduce its energy consumption. The ordinance would require city businesses to turn off most of their outdoor lighting (signage and otherwise) between the hours of 2 A.M. and 6 A.M.
According to the International Dark-Sky Association, there are already about 1,000 U.S. cities that have a similar ordinance in place. This one is sure to run into stiff resistance before it is passed.
The article is worth a read, not only because it's an interesting local government approach to emissions, but because the author quotes Jimmie Dale Gilmore at the beginning of the article, from the song Dallas:
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night? / Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight. / And Dallas is a jungle, but Dallas gives a beautiful light.
