Light Pollution

[AstroTiger]

We all know this is an ongoing issue, as well as business i spend much of my time in the fight against this

Especially now in the ere of climate change and all of us doing our "bit" dunkirk style to reduce CO2 emissions.

Well as with many loud mouthed astronomers like me. (as i am sure u guessed)

I replied in anger to the advert on reducing ones CO2 footprint.

Esp wen at the end of the AD u see the light pollution map of the world!!!!!!!!????????

Now i am one voice, on here there are thousands. Can i ask that each time a paper winges about DVDs or TVs being left on stand by, or boiling just enough water for?

We remind these powers of the issues of light pollution.

The problem is real, and laregly ignored. As we all of us who try to observe beneath the orange "soup" will know. Its not good enough.

Now to start with, if every one would email a winge here

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Hl1/Help/ContactUs/ContactUsForm/index.htm

Then that would be a start.

I know not of if its the right contact on this site, if someone finds better by all means post it.

united we stand fellow astronomers, divided we fall.

Lets fight to see our stars again. It is our right, and the right of our children!!

Regards

An emotional AT

[Vega]

Hi AT

I totally agree. This subject can never be taken too seriously. Unfortunately changing over to light saving bulbs, turning off standby appliances etc is just simply a gesture to get people more aware rather than something that is really going to make any kind of difference. If you look at all the culprits to CO2 emissions, these government ad's about energy saving are putting it bluntly... a joke! The real problems are the one's that no government can legislate against without the risk of very quickly becoming very unpopular. Just to mention a few.....Sheer volume of car useage, Aviation industry, Manufacturing industry practices, Working office practices (with regard to IT equipment) the remaining 'dirty' power stations and ... most importantly being more stern with China & the USA on the matter. So whatever you do, don't come home from B&Q with a load of energy saving bulbs and plug timers thinking you've done your bit to 'save the planet'. Even if every household in the UK did that, the aviation industry will undo that carbon saving within a couple of hours!

Easy to say when your not trying to run the country and stay in power at the same time! Until some technological breakthrough's are made for alternative fuels, I see no real solution (apart from everyone changing their lifestyles back to the dark ages!).

As for your main argument about light pollution... being an astro-head myself I couldn't agree more but Climate change is a much more importanat issue (however a nice one to jump on the bandwagon for light pollution reasons )

Matt

[Tiny]

In town Wilco are selling 500 watt floodlights for a few pounds as there effort to help the police campaign for 'more lights at night to discourage thieves'.

Meanwhile on TV Christmas is coming and out local TV station for the midlands wants to see the best show of outside lights. Tonight's had over 5,000 and looked 'really nice' according to the weather lady. She will come and do the weather from the best show of light pollution found.

Obviously the light pollution message just ain't getting through. Stars - wot stars?

[supernova]

Switch all the traffic lights, street lamps advert lights, shop lights,and all the other unnecessary lights OFF, more police on the beat at night, Bingo light pollution down co2 down, and BILLS down Doh!!

That will not work!!! TAX down as well cant have that.

Rant over.

Did you know a 747 uses 4,000 gallons of fuel just to get OFF! the runway

[Sam]

The topic of green house gas emission/CO2 footprint etc is somewhat emotive at the moment with a people polarised into two camps - those who think it's happening and those who don't. Personally I think we are stuffing the planet and I'm worried that we may one day soon reach the point where there's no going back - notwithstanding when this may or may not happen we should be thinking, as a species, about our longer term survival prospects. Clearly our happy little home isn't go to last forever at the current rate of resource use so we need to be looking for alternatives. This is where astronomy is monumentally important, especially amateur astronomy because this is what keeps us dreaming and curious (in part), and this what helps us get motiviated into supporting various space programmes. The sciences relating to astronomy are difficult and not easy for the general public to get a handle on - and certainly beyond the media to squash into a 30 sec sound bite which is always going to impede a certain rate of advancement. We need to buy time so we can sort ourselves out and find another home off this planet and secure our collective survival. The New Scientist had an interesting article the week before last about how individuals can make a difference by reducing their carbon footprint through reduced airtravel, turning lights off, buying local food and seasonal food etc. It's easy to say that countries like China and India will just keep pumping out CO2 regardless of we save but this is not entirely true as both of these countries are investing heavily in trying to reduce their growth in CO2 emissions.

mmmmm sorry for the rambling post but the guts is we (as in all of us) need to move home in the next couple of hundred years so we've got a lot of work to do! :?

cheers

Sam

[supernova]

It is not possible, but the Only way we can stop this, is to stop having children slow down the population explosion, Less consumption. Better life for the future. Like I said it ain't gonna happen.

Please remove this bit if you think it is to political.

[Trevor]

Ever wonder where your recycled bits and bobs go………..

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13553678,00.html

[AstroTiger]

climate change is a huge issues indeed

but wen u see a map of the light pollution, and can make out counties from it, this is surely the main place it is happening?

The earth must have the lungs of a heavy smoker. We destroy its lungs in the far east, and further pollute the air.

to me reducing light pollution and Co2 emissions come hand in hand.

[Tiny]

Our government is running another expensive add campaign telling us to save energy but there is no mention of switching off outside lights. Maybe their bean counters figure that being spoil sport enough to suggest outside lights are switched off might loose votes and votes is much more important than anything else to politicians!

[barkis]

When are the pillocks going to realize that high power security lights only create blacker shadows for the would be thief to hide in. A 60 watt light buld strategically placed is far more effective than a 500 watt searchlight lighting up the sky.

Ron.

[James]

When are the pillocks going to realize that high power security lights only create blacker shadows for the would be thief to hide in. A 60 watt light buld strategically placed is far more effective than a 500 watt searchlight lighting up the sky.

Ron.

This is now precisely the advice that our Council's Environmental Health people now give out to the public whenever someone calls in about lights, faulty or otherwise. It would be nice if the Police could do the same...

[zootlewurdle]

LED lighting to help save us energy!:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7131358.stm

"We could also light up out of the way places where normal bulbs are unsuitable," she added. "Because they last such a long time, architects could cover the side of a building with exciting lighting effects without worrying about constantly replacing the bulbs."

But please not more light pollution!