As an energy crisis looms, nimble French activists are using superhero-like moves to switch off wasteful outdoor lights.
Our World News Editor Kate Gregan explains.
The 'Lights Off' movement is sweeping the nation.
Young athletes in French cities are practising the sport of Parkour — which consists of running, climbing and jumping over urban obstacles — to turn off shop signs at night in an effort to fight light pollution.
Activist Kevin Ha told Euro News he's proud they're putting their physical abilities to good use.
"The idea isn't to damage anything, we're a harmless movement. Seeing so many signs lit up at night is incomprehensible and for us activists this allows us to actually do something instead of just talking about it."
Videos of their feats -- which show nimble athletes clinging to stone facades and balcony edges before plunging streets into darkness with the flick of an elevated switch -- are growing in popularity on social media - especially in recent months.
Russia’s chokehold on Europe’s gas has pushed France to conserve energy.
And while it was already illegal to leave shop lights on between 1 and 6 am in the country --- the rule is often not respected.
Maxime Colin is an environmental lawyer.
"One of the big issues is the enforcement of the rules, the authorities, the town halls, they actually need to use the power of the police and finally enforce the regulations."
Many officials in Paris say these activists are right to take action... but not everyone is backing the movement.
Priscilla Beck is a business owner in Paris.
"The light and the logo allows us to be visible to the people in our neighbourhood but since it's switched off we're not seen. It's a nuisance for all the work we are doing on a daily basis."
Authorities say if businesses were to actually abide by the lights-off decrees, they could save enough electricity to power 750,000 households every year.
