French Freerunners Are Using Parkour As An Eco-Friendly Gesture to Fight Light Pollution
Parkour, the discipline of using movement to get from one point to another in a complex environment without assistive equipment and in the fastest and most efficient way possible, originated in France, so no wonder that its newest form has also just come from there.
I don’t think it has a name yet. For now, let’s call it an eco-friendly gesture. Recently, Yanis Haggui and his friend Max started using parkour to fight light pollution and turn off shop lights, as required by the country’s law.
They posted a video of carrying out their ninja mission on TikTok, and it already has 330.9K views. Check it out below!
More info: TikTok
Image credits: strombo
To fight light pollution, France requires businesses to turn off their lights during the night
@yanishagguiPetit geste écolo (puis s/o la bac qui nous on vue mais pas embarqué) ##ecologie ##marseillais ##marseiller ##marseille13 ##parkour ##challenges ##teamjul♬ Aesthetic – Xilo
However, some establishments appear to be having problems obeying the law
Image credits: yanishaggui
Image credits: yanishaggui
After the video went viral, Yanis said that he doesn’t want to encourage people to do the same. According to him, there are other, simpler ways to remain eco-friendly, and the TikTok is supposed to remind people about light pollution and he’s glad that it is achieving that.
So Yanis Haggui and his friend Max decided to help them
Image credits: yanishaggui
Image credits: yanishaggui
The guy clearly has insane hops
Image credits: yanishaggui
Image credits: yanishaggui
Which allows him to reach a device put in place to shut off the electrical power in a store in case of an emergency
Image credits: yanishaggui
Image credits: yanishaggui
A study published in La Revue Medicale Liege in 2015, shows how exposure to light during night time can interfere with human health, particularly by influencing the production of melatonin.
According to the paper, animals suffer from light pollution as well. Migratory birds, which often travel during the night, can be disturbed by the presence of light, which can confuse their sense of direction and in some cases lead to death.
A few years ago, France issued the “Decree of 27 December 2018 on the prevention, reduction, and limitation of light pollution”
Image credits: yanishaggui
Image credits: yanishaggui
The decree superseded and repealed the prior national law in France, dating to 2013. Then, seven years ago, the government was expecting to save 250,000 tonnes of CO2 – enough energy to power 750,000 French households for a year.
The French ecology minister, Delphine Batho, said she hoped the law would change attitudes in France and help the country become a pioneer in reducing light pollution. Judging by this TikTok, it succeeded!
It says that businesses have to turn off their lights one hour after closing and turn them on just one hour before opening
Image credits: yanishaggui
Image credits: yanishaggui
Am I the only one confused why the light switches for the outside lights are 10 feet high on the outside of the building??? Also... "parkour" is using nothing but your body to navigate through a complex environment, not jumping up a bit to hit a switch.
That's an emergecy device for the firefighters in case of problems. With that switch they dont have to go to the back of the store to turn down electricity in case of fire for example.
Load More Replies...On one hand we have light pollution which is of course bad for the environment and the eyes, but on the other hand it's already pretty dangerous (at least for some) to walk at night, so taking away the light makes it even more so. I don't know... I'm torn...
Using downward-facing lights will provide more light onto the streets instead of getting it wasted upwards - win-win. I've done research on light pollution before, and I'm glad the issue is getting some light (pun intended). Most of the pollution comes from streetlights and upward-facing lights for historical sites, though - not some store signs.
Load More Replies...I often parkour to save energy. Rather then drive, I like to parkour to work, I parkour to the gym where I parkour to train. I'm parkouring right now.
Whatever works, your choice. I respect your decision and don't judge. What right do I have to do otherwise?
Load More Replies...This is so interesting. Good on France for fighting light pollution. Too bad businesses aren't following the law. But I like these vigilante efforts.
Sadly the law is very light (no pun intended). The stores have to turn off their showcases lights between 1am and 7am and their signs between 1am and 6am. You can see that the videos are made before 1am. I don't understand the comments fearing for security at night, in France we do have streets lights... And the law was made for light pollution but mostly to save energy.
Load More Replies...Turning off the electricity disables some security systems also, anything refrigerated will go bad. Are there residents living above the shops? They would also lose power. His actions could cause significant financial damage and possibly hurt others. Would he be responsible for the damage after he turns off the power?
Cassiushumanmother - you are 100% right, I missed that significant fact. Yes, France is a country, I have been there. Yes, I can read. In the US, also a country, houses in cold areas are heated, we also wear hats; my brain is not frozen. I doubt I can prove I am not dumb. Googling Bernie in a Chair, isn't a sign of intelligence. Again, you are right, I missed this extremely important fact. Why the need to be cruel?
Load More Replies...Er your not the police..and turning your business lights off at night encourages break ins.
As you can see in the photos its the sign lights not the inner lights.
Load More Replies..."France Adopts National Light Pollution Policy Among the Most Progressive in the World." Impressive. Read more, https://www.darksky.org/france-light-pollution-law-2018/
that's just normal! Why light a sign at night? Did any of your friends said "i have to buy this because i saw it at midnight!" ?
Load More Replies...This just sounds like some guys trying to build their social media influence. It's like when people throw a huge fit about straws while living a largely unchanged life in any other way. Fuss for attention.
The "neon clan" is a movement since 2007, the law was made after some of their actions, they use long sticks because they can't jump.
Load More Replies...Light pollution confuses me. most of the stars we see exploded a long long time ago. how does it affect them? someone pls explain.
Light pollution is about interfering with wildlife, e.g. it can confuse the migratory patterns of animals, and with human health - it contributes to sleeping disorders, messing with natural body cycles and production of melatonin.
Load More Replies...Does this constitutes an excuse for me to enforce the law as I see fit? I doubt that would be legal or moral. The application criteria gives a limit of 1 AM for non-residential buildings (shop windows or exhibitions) if I'm not mistaken. If that device he's reaching for "shuts the electricity in the store in case of an emergency" I wonder if that guy is also willing to take the full blame if his actions lead to some unfortunate event caused by the electricity shutdown?
The device only shut down the signs. Look at the before/after pics, there is still light inside the shops.
Load More Replies...Am I the only one confused why the light switches for the outside lights are 10 feet high on the outside of the building??? Also... "parkour" is using nothing but your body to navigate through a complex environment, not jumping up a bit to hit a switch.
That's an emergecy device for the firefighters in case of problems. With that switch they dont have to go to the back of the store to turn down electricity in case of fire for example.
Load More Replies...On one hand we have light pollution which is of course bad for the environment and the eyes, but on the other hand it's already pretty dangerous (at least for some) to walk at night, so taking away the light makes it even more so. I don't know... I'm torn...
Using downward-facing lights will provide more light onto the streets instead of getting it wasted upwards - win-win. I've done research on light pollution before, and I'm glad the issue is getting some light (pun intended). Most of the pollution comes from streetlights and upward-facing lights for historical sites, though - not some store signs.
Load More Replies...I often parkour to save energy. Rather then drive, I like to parkour to work, I parkour to the gym where I parkour to train. I'm parkouring right now.
Whatever works, your choice. I respect your decision and don't judge. What right do I have to do otherwise?
Load More Replies...This is so interesting. Good on France for fighting light pollution. Too bad businesses aren't following the law. But I like these vigilante efforts.
Sadly the law is very light (no pun intended). The stores have to turn off their showcases lights between 1am and 7am and their signs between 1am and 6am. You can see that the videos are made before 1am. I don't understand the comments fearing for security at night, in France we do have streets lights... And the law was made for light pollution but mostly to save energy.
Load More Replies...Turning off the electricity disables some security systems also, anything refrigerated will go bad. Are there residents living above the shops? They would also lose power. His actions could cause significant financial damage and possibly hurt others. Would he be responsible for the damage after he turns off the power?
Cassiushumanmother - you are 100% right, I missed that significant fact. Yes, France is a country, I have been there. Yes, I can read. In the US, also a country, houses in cold areas are heated, we also wear hats; my brain is not frozen. I doubt I can prove I am not dumb. Googling Bernie in a Chair, isn't a sign of intelligence. Again, you are right, I missed this extremely important fact. Why the need to be cruel?
Load More Replies...Er your not the police..and turning your business lights off at night encourages break ins.
As you can see in the photos its the sign lights not the inner lights.
Load More Replies..."France Adopts National Light Pollution Policy Among the Most Progressive in the World." Impressive. Read more, https://www.darksky.org/france-light-pollution-law-2018/
that's just normal! Why light a sign at night? Did any of your friends said "i have to buy this because i saw it at midnight!" ?
Load More Replies...This just sounds like some guys trying to build their social media influence. It's like when people throw a huge fit about straws while living a largely unchanged life in any other way. Fuss for attention.
The "neon clan" is a movement since 2007, the law was made after some of their actions, they use long sticks because they can't jump.
Load More Replies...Light pollution confuses me. most of the stars we see exploded a long long time ago. how does it affect them? someone pls explain.
Light pollution is about interfering with wildlife, e.g. it can confuse the migratory patterns of animals, and with human health - it contributes to sleeping disorders, messing with natural body cycles and production of melatonin.
Load More Replies...Does this constitutes an excuse for me to enforce the law as I see fit? I doubt that would be legal or moral. The application criteria gives a limit of 1 AM for non-residential buildings (shop windows or exhibitions) if I'm not mistaken. If that device he's reaching for "shuts the electricity in the store in case of an emergency" I wonder if that guy is also willing to take the full blame if his actions lead to some unfortunate event caused by the electricity shutdown?
The device only shut down the signs. Look at the before/after pics, there is still light inside the shops.
Load More Replies...
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