Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ziplock9000 t1_iuvwltu wrote

No they couldn't. They would never give off enough illumination by orders of magnitude.

71

helliun t1_iuvyfs8 wrote

Can you think of any situations where they'd be a suitable replacement for electric lights? I think the illumination is both a blessing and a curse when you think about the light pollution and stuff

17

civilrunner t1_iuw04zp wrote

We literally just have to put shades over the top of lights to direct it down towards the street and prevent it from going elsewhere.

31

helliun t1_iuw0s0y wrote

yeah that makes sense it's definitely weird that they don't already do that. but per my first question is there no application that you could think of for this? I'm willing to accept if there's not but I just feel like there could be

12

civilrunner t1_iuw0v0e wrote

It's pretty simple. It costs money to add a shade, they don't have the budget for it so they don't.

2

helliun t1_iuw10la wrote

i meant any applications for the plants mb that wasn't clear

6

civilrunner t1_iuw16fm wrote

No idea. Releasing a bunch of engineered plants that I assume would reproduce and spread may also not be the best idea.

14

SWATSgradyBABY t1_iuw6szd wrote

It's not that at all. They don't care about light pollution. Also, they are crazy obsessed with the spectre of crime. So the more light, the better.

5

civilrunner t1_iuw9mpw wrote

I mean they do care about light pollution, and you could have all the street lighting you want without light pollution if you just prevent the light from going up. Good lighting prevents crime and improves safety.

But when it comes to anything cities have to weigh budget priorities and shading the top of light posts just doesn't have the priority as other things.

3

SWATSgradyBABY t1_iuwax1h wrote

Where is the evidence that they're concerned with light pollution? I'm concerned. You seem to be. I wish they were.

3

civilrunner t1_iuwbooe wrote

It's something pretty commonly discussed. There just isn't the budget for the solution most of the time. Money and production drives everything and causes people to need to make trade offs and prioritize things. If they had all the money and production imaginable then they wouldn't have to pick trade offs but sadly we do.

3

SWATSgradyBABY t1_iuwcq4l wrote

We have these organizations called NPUs, neighborhood planning units. I've been attending various ones for 2 decades now. I see the budgets and understand the tradeoffs. Residents don't want em more than they want plenty of other nonsense.

1

nblack88 t1_iuwvvpf wrote

Residents DON'T want them? That surprises me. Can you give insight as to why?

I'm a big fan of Dark Sky friendly lighting, and donate to the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) sometimes. Every resident I've spoken to who experienced the transition has enjoyed the new lighting, provided it's implemented well.

1

blueSGL t1_iux9hew wrote

it'd be infrastructure costs. If you can get lights that direct light correctly but are not slot in replacements and need to replace/retofit the attachments/poles they will not get used as they cost more money.

and the above holds true if there are slot in replacements but they cost more money.

The solution needs to be cheap and easy to implement otherwise it will face massive barriers to being done.

1

archpawn t1_iuypump wrote

It reflects when it hits the ground, which is how it helps us see.

What I have seen done is using sodium lamps which emit a very specific frequency of yellow, so it's easy to filter out.

3

Artanthos t1_iuwomqg wrote

Lining the walkway to my house.

I end up having to replace my solar lights every couple of years.

6

duffmanhb t1_iuxf3lg wrote

This tech is literally a more complicated and less powerful glow in the dark transparent paint. I read it and was massively disappointed to find out the plants are coated and don’t actually glow

5

fatalcharm t1_iuyg85u wrote

In my city, they (the city council) are always decorating the trees with fairy lights. Oh we definitely have use for this…

1

genshiryoku t1_iuwjvhe wrote

Also the amount of power street lights consume is negligible in the grand scheme of things. Better put the resources at building more windmills and solar power plants. Which is probably a better return on investment.

1

ISnortBees t1_iux26hy wrote

And the amount of effort it would take to replace dead plants vs fixing/replacing the lights

1

camdoodlebop t1_iuyiyve wrote

it would be an uncomfortably dark glow that would be super pretty to look at

1

MBlaizze t1_ivjv94p wrote

It might give off enough illumination If you had thick growth of it along roads

1