Light pollution.
We are losing sight of the stars due to the effects of light pollution. This not only deprives us of one of the wonders of nature, but wastes energy and costs money.
The following article was
printed in the Leicester Mercury in January 2001, and gives some
idea of what light pollution involves.
When was the last time you
saw countless stars in a dark sky? Exactly! Stars are
now as rare as that other once common sight, the sparrow. You
don’t need to be a birdwatcher to miss sparrows anymore than
you need to be a stargazer to miss the stars. The declining
sparrow population is a mystery, but the loss of the stars is
not.
We only have to go a few
miles outside any town or city to see that a dome of orange light
covers each one. Why is this? Shining light up into
the sky serves no purpose and is a spectacular waste of energy
and money. I don’t know about you, but I need light on
the ground where I live. This waste energy is called
light pollution.
Local authorities can deal
with chemical and noise pollution, but light pollution was not
included in the 1990 Environmental Protection Act, and we are now
suffering the consequences. It is left to groups such as
The Campaign for Dark Skies, the Institution of Lighting
Engineers and the Council for the Protection of Rural England to
plug this gap.
Much waste light comes from
inefficient streetlights. There is now a British Standard
that encourages the use of ‘flat glass, full cut-off’
lights. These are becoming increasingly popular, not least
because they reduce the dazzle experienced by motorists. Dark
skies do not mean dark streets.
If you have a
‘security’ light, don’t shine it onto your
neighbours’ property or leave it on all night. One
major DIY supplier now stocks ‘light pollution free’
security lights. These provide security and peace of mind
without causing a nuisance to others.
Yes, light pollution is now
recognised as a nuisance. A recent court case resulted in a
council being ordered to remove a light that was causing a
nuisance. The use of the word ‘nuisance’ by the
case judge is important in that it sets a precedent for others
similarly affected to refer to.
New Year celebrations aside,
‘sky beams’ are deliberate light pollution, with their
bright beams of light swept back and forth across the night sky.
They are now recognised as advertisements in some areas (eg
Blaby, Guidford) and require planning permission.
A number of local authorities
have included clauses in their ‘local plans’ to reduce
light pollution, and some have produced their own leaflets.
Speak to your councillor. Check local planning
applications. Many planners will consider potential light
pollution if you raise it as an issue.
Art, poetry, religion,
science and philosophy all draw inspiration from the night sky
but, like the humble sparrow, the stars have become an endangered
species. Stargazers can always travel to dark sites, but
what about the city-bound youngsters who have never seen the
glory of a starlit sky for themselves? Surely, we should
leave future generations more than just a sickly yellow fog.
With care, we will see
sparrows in our gardens again. With care - and concerted
action by local and national government - we will regain sight of
the stars as well. It would be a shame to lose them.
David Conner,
Leicestershire
representative,
Campaign for Dark Skies.
This picture shows two types of light pollution.
It shows our garden - and my observing site - illuminated by our neighbour's 'security' light. You can also see Leicester's orange night sky in the background. Leicester was Britain's First Environment City.
The offending security light photographed from my telescope.
After explaining to the neighbours why this light was causing a problem, they turned it off straight away.
If you aren't so lucky, then what..? The Campaign for Dark Skies has information and advice that may help.
The orange skyglow over Leicester is not so easily dealt with, but Leicester City Council's new 'Local Plan' (probably available for public consultation in late 2001) will contain clauses to control light pollution. It will take some time before its effects are noticed, but this is a major step forward in the control of light pollution.
Two sides to church floodlighting.
Note how the floodlight beam misses the steeple entirely and shines directly upwards into the night sky over Leicester.
More tasteful, perhaps, but still no stars.
More will be added to this page presently but, in the meantime, find out more about light pollution and what can be done to help reduce it by visiting the Campaign for Dark Skies website at www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk