Use a blinkie

I note with interest an SIC councillor’s comment on local radio recently about changing streetlights for LED replacements, saying that whilst the initial outlay would be quite costly the long-term energy savings to the council would be in the thousands.

The real issue in Shetland is the totally over the top number of street or public area lights on all night when 99 per cent of the population are indoors.

Answer: turn them all off at 10pm after that take a blinkie. The road above Sandwick late at night is a disgrace – lit up like Heathrow all night, every night and the footpaths are empty.

There is the misconception put about by lamp salesmen and their politician friends that industrial areas at night/weekends and in winter are best secured by flooding the area in lights. This has just about become the security joke of all time.

Apparently German, USA & other studies into this reveal a much better security background if all lights are extinguished, making it impossible for your usual thief to prowl around.

So, SIC save even more and bring on dark skies!

Vic Thomas
Clousta