Sitting in the Dark in Germany

Okay, so one of our secretaries just turned off the hall light while walking down our hall.

She, and my other German coworkers, frequently sit in what I consider to be the freakin dark. Seriously. Not light in their offices. Except of course for the computer screen, which shines like a beacon.

Now, growing up my mom almost always made me turn a light on when I'm reading, etc, because it would "strain my eyes" to read in the dark.

I would certainly understand reluctance to turn on the lights if I were footing the bill, or if I were working for a small company, but we work for an enormous firm with offices in many cities in just about every country on the globe.

I was told that some Germans think electricity, particularly lighting, is unhealthy? Can this be true?

Its the environment they are trying to save, not money, and the fact that its such a big global company means that a light off policy would be even more effective in preserving the environment. I dont think its specifically a german thing either. I usually have my office lights off (to save the environment) and the (german) boss always turns them on for me.

Nope can't say I've noticed that or even heard about it.

In fact I have just switched off the lights in our office because the sun is streaming in. I hadn't even noticed they were on until I read this post...

okay (and in case it's not obvious already) I will plead ignorance and ask - how does electricity adversely affect the environment?

sure, if it's sunny, I don't turn them on either.

I often sit in my office in the dark because I just don't get around to turning the lights on (even though we can turn the lights on from the PC, so it's not laziness). I'm a Brit, btw. Whenever the Finance Director (a German) walks past he always pops his head round the door and turns the lights on, telling me it's bad for my eyes to sit in the dark.
So I guess it must be person-dependent, rather than nationality dependent.

I didn't turn them on because it's sunny but off. Someone else had obviously arrived before sunrise and switched them on and not bothered / forgotten to switch them off.

I agree with Kza, it's environmental awareness that makes the difference. I only switch the printer on when I need it and switch if off again when done.

Butterbean, electricity doesn't grow on trees.

It's made by burning coal, oil or gas which emits CO² and sulphurous emisions or using nuclear power which produces long term dangerous waste and is part of the eapons circuit.

So saving on the 'leccy is good for the environment and good for your wallet cos the price is going to rise!

Its the generation of electricity that adversely affects the environment. Most of it here comes from burning fossil fuels and rubbish. Theres a small nuclear component too, and the disposal of used nuclear fuel is also an environmental issue. Even with hydro, theres a limit to how much you can lower lake levels before adversley affecting the local ecosystem.

Ever noticed how theres no street lighting on the autobahns here? Or that many traffic lights switch off during the night? Its to try and save the environment.

The only real environmentally friendly solutions are solar and wind and geotherm. But they are not yet contributing that much to germanys power grid.

hmm. Okay. Feeling dumb now, but not the first and no doubt not the last time. Lights out.

At my work, it's quite the opposite. Everybody insists on having the lights on in the printer room 24/7. I consistently turn it off (being from California and used to rolling blackouts and the like), and every time I go back the light is on again. One would think these compulsive recyclers would save energy too!

I've seen this many, many times in our office. I will give two reasons to try to explain this strange Deutsch phenomenon.

1. People are too wrapped up in their work, they just don't realize it's totally dark in their office.
2. They are simply too lazy to switch on the lights. It has nothing to do with saving the environment. Believe me...

true, turning off the lights to save the environment could be considered thinking of others and if that ain't Deutsch, don't know what is...

kidding aside (sort of), no, I've asked a coworker who's been sitting in the dark why they are and if they would like me to turn the lights on for them, and they usually say no, thanks, they're fine...

Actually, it's the turning on of the lights that uses the most electricty, especially for fluorescent lights, which most offices have. If you are going to have it off for more than 15 minutes, it's worth turning off, but if you are just going out for a minute, don't bother.

Nope. In it's operative lifetime, a windmill doesn't generate as much power as was used in making it. They're eyesores, they require huge foundations, they make so much noise that they have to be AT LEAST 2km away from any residence, they kill thousands of birds each year, etc., etc., etc.

Denmark has realised this and stopped putting them up; there are few places in the world with a better location for windmills than Denmark, and they suck there, too.

If you want, I have a couple very interesting resources about this, though some are in German. Here's a link to get you started.

woof.

what about tidal power? They started an experiment in the servern estuary a few years back. Anyone know how that worked out?

Tidal power may well be good, but what tides would they use around Munich?

You know...

Ammersee & Starnburgersee might be big enough

As for wind power, install turbines in all Govt. offices there's tons of hot air there
waiting to be used...

I am totally with you Butterbean. Turn the lights on, cause it does strain ur eyes and i noticed as well that germans often sit in the dark, but have no clue why, but it is no for health or environment reasons...

I just moved here from Prague and it is the same in the Czech Republic and it drives me crazy. I would go into a classroom at 7am and turn on the lights, as it would be dark in the room, when I come back from a 2 min potty break (and if there were students in the room) the light would ALWAYS be switched off. It would always drive me crazy and am glad there are others out there

Reading in dim light won't make your eyes go bad. That is a wives tale. There seems to be many like that in germany: Draft causes stiff neck. Don't go in the out door or you will die. 6 second comercials are the best method of advertising...

According to a quick google, eye strain comes from not changing your focus, having a glare, watching TV for a long time, bad lenses on glasses, etc.

Tips from Mother Nature .com
How to recognize and limit eye strain
Couple of Myths

Correct. That's like saying listening to music with the volume turned down is bad for your hearing.


Long disproved myth once started by big energy.
The break even point actually happens after a few months (like 3 to 6 or so) in good locations. Which is a very good result. One 2MW windmill will keep about 4000-6000 TONS of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere PER YEAR depending on location, wind speeds etc. This is equivalent to the energy contained in about 70-100 fully loaded big fuel trucks.

The latest developments in photovoltaics will require about 3 years to break even in Southern Germany.

Water power... depends on a lot of factors. Considering that I have personally seen several examples of old, decentralized installations still producing power after 70 years of use, and being expected to work for another 30 or so years after being repaired, sometimes rebuilt and worn parts being changed out water power definitely provides the biggest energy return.