Petition to regulate light pollution

[Scooot]

Signed

[Jonk]

Signed - 89

[acey]

Wording is too general to be useful. Like saying "steps should be taken to reduce noise". If there's a petition that makes a specific and sensible proposal then I'll sign it.

[Scooot]

I just text my son and asked him to sign.  Told him it'll help him sleep, keep him thin, and prevent him from getting breast cancer. It worked

[psamathe]

37 minutes ago, RWB said:

Wanted to sign but they DEMANDED my email and from bitter experience I Know that it will generate loads of

junk so sorry but I failed

                                     clear skies anyway

                                                                 Robin 

Often they do (change.org, 38degrees) and I wont sign such petitions any more (even if I strongly agree).

However, this one is the government site and in my experience you get one e-mail with a link to click to verify you are a real person (i.e. they e-mail you the link and only count your signature when verified).  The you get another e-mail when the petition closes giving the outcome (e.g. government response, debate in Parliament or totally ignored).  And that, un my experience of signing quite a few, is all.  So should be a safe one.

Ian

[psamathe]

2 minutes ago, acey said:

Wording is too general to be useful. Like saying "steps should be taken to reduce noise". If there's a petition that makes a specific and sensible proposal then I'll sign it.

I used to look at the detail of the petitions - I sign quite a few cycling ones where I am not in 100% agreement with every detail.  Because to me, we are not setting legislation but just trying to kick our legislators into doing something.  If that pressure gets them off there rears and out of the pubs then they will start with reports, white papers, consultations, etc. at which point we can consider the best ways and the details.  But at this stage it's just a matter of starting to get then on that process.

So I think worth signing even if not the best proposal or best wording - plenty of chances once the process is started to contribute to getting it right.

Ian

[Skipper Billy]

3 minutes ago, acey said:

Wording is too general to be useful. Like saying "steps should be taken to reduce noise". If there's a petition that makes a specific and sensible proposal then I'll sign it.

But surely any attempt is better than inaction?  My Wife and I have signed it and copied the link to 12 Facebook astro groups.

Personally it doesnt bother me - the nearest streetlights are 5 miles away and I could count those on my fingers and toes 

[Scooot]

7 minutes ago, acey said:

Wording is too general to be useful. Like saying "steps should be taken to reduce noise". If there's a petition that makes a specific and sensible proposal then I'll sign it.

If enough sign, it will show that it's an issue of concern. Can't do the cause any harm anyway.

[johnfosteruk]

Signed by me and The Present Mrs Foster. that's 115. Also put into the Twittersphere, not that it's likely anyone pays attention to me

[LukeSkywatcher]

Its not often that i get a chance in life to sign for something as being a British citizen. I hold dual citizenship (Irish and British). I'm not registered to vote in the UK but i could do if i wanted (hell i dont even vote here in Ireland). Glad to put my name to this one though. Probably wont make a single iota of difference, but people power has been proven to work in MANY situations.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, RWB said:

Wanted to sign but they DEMANDED my email and from bitter experience I Know that it will generate loads of

junk so sorry but I failed

                                     clear skies anyway

                                                                 Robin 

No it won't - it's a Government website and they really DON'T sell your details. No more risky than doing online self-assessment.

[rodrigol]

I'm hoping this is not inappropriate here. I didn't know where else to post so, I apologise if this is not appropriate according to forum rule or the right place to inform. Nevertheless, there is now a petition to combat light pollution in the UK (only for UK citizens or UK residents) at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/119428

 

[Daz Type-R]

Just signed for what it's worth.

Im also a mod on another Astro site and posted the petition link on there.

244 signitures, let's hope for many, many more.

[Velvet]

Signed too and posted on Facebook and twitter.... might do some good  

[Joe12345]

Wow! This is going up fast - 30 in the last 10 mins! Signed and on 300 plus now!

[baldeliftman]

That's me signed up, 315 now

[JemC]

signed, No 347

[Starlight 1]

There is a post all ready runing on this , May be a Mod will add it to that one.

 

[psamathe]

Another thread running linked to the same petition.  But more important that everybody is made aware of it.

Also, I should point out that the wording is now as I would ideally want.  But others would probably not be happy with my ideal wording.  and none of that matters as we are not designing legislation here.  What the petition is trying to do is to initiate a process where experts, interested parties, everybody will get to read reports, to participate in consultations, etc. which is where the wording for any legislation is decided.  Make the proposal too strong now and the legislators will reject it as "unachievable".  We just need something to kick Parliament into starting the process of doing something - what is done (if enough people sign and if anything is done) will be tweaked and fine-tuned and subject to consultation where we can all have our input.

So worth signing even if you are not 100% happy with the wording as starting something is more important.

Ian

[psamathe]

Need to spread the word (other astronomical sites, wildlife sites, CPRE, etc.).  Wider audience will get more signatures.

Ian

[Pathfoot]

I'm in.

Just wondering who we can persuade to run down Regent Street naked if this should reach the 10,000 mark.  There could be an incentive there ...

The cynic in me keeps trying to tell me nothing is likely, but at the moment I've got the rascal in a stranglehold to try and shut him up.

[psamathe]

1 minute ago, Pathfoot said:

...The cynic in me keeps trying to tell me nothing is likely, but at the moment I've got the rascal in a stranglehold to try and shut him up.

What is even more certain is that nothing will happen if nobody expressed an opinion. Maybe (likely) nothing this time.  But there will be another and gradually legislators/planners/councils/etc. will get the message it is becoming more important, they will slowly get to appreciate that people do care, etc. and none of that will happen if people do not express their opinions.

Ian

[johnfosteruk]

12 minutes ago, Pathfoot said:

I'm in.

Just wondering who we can persuade to run down Regent Street naked if this should reach the 10,000 mark.  There could be an incentive there ...

The cynic in me keeps trying to tell me nothing is likely, but at the moment I've got the rascal in a stranglehold to try and shut him up.

I'll do it, and you can tell the press I'll do it to if it get signatures on the petition.

[JamesF]

2 hours ago, psamathe said:

Often they do (change.org, 38degrees) and I wont sign such petitions any more (even if I strongly agree).

However, this one is the government site and in my experience you get one e-mail with a link to click to verify you are a real person (i.e. they e-mail you the link and only count your signature when verified).  The you get another e-mail when the petition closes giving the outcome (e.g. government response, debate in Parliament or totally ignored).  And that, un my experience of signing quite a few, is all.  So should be a safe one.

Ian

When I don't want to give my email address on a website, this can come in handy: http://www.yopmail.com/en/

James

[Pathfoot]

6 minutes ago, psamathe said:

What is even more certain is that nothing will happen if nobody expressed an opinion.

Quite so. I know there have been some successes attributed to 'dark skies' campaigns in which local authorities have modified street lighting, to reduce the amount of light lost upward (where it has little but nuisance value). I think, and as others here have alluded to, there's more than one angle needed, not just amateur astronomers, to give the topic wider appeal. And possibly a useful economic argument too, to reduce wasteful consumption.

I live close to the town park, which used to be a usefully dark place to go with a portable telescope or binoculars. The council fitted lighting, and now it's illuminated during the night, wasting money solving a problem that didn't exist, and providing a meeting place for noisy youngsters who should really be in bed by half past eight. 

Being cynical doesn't stop me being an optimist, however!