"We're tired of seeing these lights that are useless."
In the streets of Paris, Kevin, Arnaud, Hugo and Lionel have made it their mission to shut down as many store signs as possible, left on by traders overnight.
“Even after 6 pm, with the curfew, there is hardly anyone in the streets, it's completely useless,” Hugo said indignantly.
All are adepts of "parkour", an acrobatic sport discipline which consists of overcoming urban or natural obstacles, using only the strength of the legs and arms.
Adapted to the city and to an ecological ideology, this type of action, belonging to the “Lights Off” movement, is currently being carried out in several cities in France.
Until turning off illuminated signs on the Champs-Elysées
In one evening, the On the Spot collective managed to extinguish about twenty signs in the streets of the capital.
“It's not so much the number that matters,” Kevin informs.
"But good to send a strong message on light pollution".
For this first outing, the small group tried to educate the population, and mainly traders, on the environmental issue.
Inspired by the "Wizzy Gang", followers of "ecological parkour", the group uses boxes, placed outside shops, usually used by emergency services to cut off electricity.
Legally, stores are required to turn off their signs “between one and six in the morning” and for businesses operating at night, the law relates to lighting that must not start “one hour before opening”, with a possibility to "leave it on until one hour after closing".
A law very little respected according to the collective On the Spot which intends to "extinguish the signs" lit unnecessarily at night "including on the Champs-Elysées", promises Kevin with conviction.