Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions, relating also to lightsoutsF.org

 

Q: Why do we need to act?

A: Our city’s growing appetite for energy must be controlled to protect our planet from the effects of the climate crisis. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, humans are greatly contributing to the release of greenhouse gases that are changing the earth’s atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). The rising concentration of greenhouses gases, such as CO2 – caused by driving cars, relying on coal-powered energy sources, and other daily consumption habits – contributes to warming the planet. To learn more about how you can lower your carbon footprint and help stop global warming, read our Energy-Saving Tips and visit our recommended websites.

Q: You may ask: what good does one hour and one light bulb do? What do we hope to accomplish?

A: We estimate that turning lights out in Santa Barbara for even one hour could save as much as 15 percent of the energy consumed on an average Saturday night. The ongoing benefits of installing CFLs in your house are even greater.

We plan to publish the energy-saving results on this website. This savings will reduce carbon emissions into our air, preserve the natural resources used to produce this energy, set a positive precedent for the rest of the nation, and result in ongoing reduced costs for the city, taxpayers, and businesses.

We hope to make Lights Out Santa Barbara a recurring event - and part of a wider effort to promote energy-saving consciousness across the nation.

Q: How much CO2 will be saved during the event?

A: We hope to be measuring how much energy is saved during Lights Out – but the main aim of the campaign is to encourage awareness and energy efficiency beyond the Lights Out event. Individuals and businesses making small changes everyday can achieve our goal of a 5% reduction in Santa Barbara's greenhouse gas emissions in 2007-8.

Q: How can I participate?

A: All you have to do is turn off non-essential lighting in your home or business from 8-9pm on Saturday, October 20th. Try swapping scary stories with your family in the dark, or eating a candlelit dinner with a loved one. Then see our Energy-Saving Tips to continue saving energy every day.

Q: Can I participate even if I don’t live in Santa Barbara?

A: Of course! Show your solidarity by turning out your lights in your hometown on October 20th from 8-9pm PST.

Q: How else can I get involved?

A: We’re glad you asked! You can get involved a number of ways.

1. Help us pass out information and promote our October 20th event.
2. Pledge your company’s support to turn your business lights out
3. Throw a celebration in your neighborhood.
4. Most importantly, spread the word. Email your friends... The more people who participate in Lights Out Santa Barbara, the greater the impact we will have in stopping climate change.

Q: I’ve read that CFLs are dangerous if broken and contain heavy metals that damage the environment. Is this true?

A: According Helen Suh MacIntosh, a professor in environmental health at Harvard University, CFLs are safe. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s a summary on the issue so you can make your own determination.

The Integrated Waste Management Board also has information about disposing of CFLs.

Q: Will all Santa Barbara lighting, even city streetlights and hospitals, go dark? What about emergency power?

A: Lights Out Santa Barbara is not asking to turn-off streetlights or any power necessary to keeping the city and its residents safe. We encourage people to switch off only non-essential lighting — such as lights in houses, porches, office buildings, and the like. By turning off all non-essential lighting, we save energy and hopefully show how easy it is to fight climate change if we work together.

Q: If everyone turns their lights back on at the same time, will there be a power surge?

A: No. We’ve checked with the power companies and turning all the lights back on won’t cause any issues.

Q: Aren’t you using a lot of electricity and resources to promote this event?

A: We at Lights Out Santa Barbara are doing all we can to make our operations carbon neutral. We’re using recycled materials for printing and promotion, along with the renewable ether of the internet, and we are planning to make our celebrations as green as possible. We’re a small operation, and our carbon footprint is small as well.

Q: Who is behind Lights Out Santa Barbara?

A: Lights Out Santa Barbara is a community-based, grassroots collection of individuals loosely affiliated with the group based in San Francisco. San Francisco resident Nathan Tyler founded Lights Out San Francisco after he participated in Sydney, Australia’s Earth Hour – a one-hour, lights-out energy saving event held in March 2007. The SF Lights Out steering committee consists of people who are passionate about the environment and energy conservation. The people at Lights Out Santa Barbara, initially, Phyllis de Picciotto and then Betsy Cramer, read of the planned San Francisco action in the 9/19 Los Angeles Times and then again on 9/29 and decided it would be a good thing to do here, too. Phyllis called Nat Tyler in San Francisco and was welcomed, with Brian Scott sending their Web files for Betsy to adapt to Santa Barbara's specifics.

Q: Are you a non-profit? How are you financed? And will you make money from this event?

A: As a Tides Center project, Lights Out San Francsco is a 501(c3) non-profit organization. They will not make money from this event. Their funding comes from individual donors and corporate sponsorships. Here, in Santa Barbara, we are a gathering of grassroots, aiming to keep our operation as minimal as possible; we will make no money from this event and seek no donations.

Q: Is Lights Out Santa Barbara affiliated with any political organizations or politically biased?

A: No, Lights Out Santa Barbara is an independent organization not affiliated with any political party, group or individual.

Have a question not addressed here? Email: info (at) lightsoutsb.org (sorry - no link to deter spam.)