It's a pity no one gives a rat's ass in this country about this very problem. Here is the funny thing I got home form work tonight and there was a letter in my door way from a FF TD asking me to have every confidence in the party and give them my vote. My point being they don't even have the NUTS to call to the door anymore. Anyone feel like a rant.


www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/82...says-rural-body.html

I'm with you 100% on this Carl, at a time in this country where there is a need to save money in our economy, part of the answer is staring the government & people right in the face, the sheer wastage of the cost of electricity generation to light up needlessly large spaces is an absoloute disgrace in this country, planning laws require a lampost every 25m in distance minimum, it just beggard belief..

However, supporters of street lighting maintain that well-lit public areas reduce the risk of crime, particularly in remote communities.

Rubbish!!!!, a study i had read some years ago came to the conclusion that it's now easier for criminals to see their targets, litterally being put on a plate for them.

Also what's wrong with dimming lights from say 11pm until 6am? Jesus wept! even primary school kids could see this, not like the gombeens we are supposed to have a choice about in the next few weeks.

I wrote to the minister of the environment some years ago at the time Dick Roche, I was politely told to go and F off

That the attitude in this country folks - gombeenland

Keith..

As I live on the outskirts of Newbridge on the edge of the Curragh, the level of light pollution is still relatively low (thank goodness!). The worst offenders however are the ubiqitous street lights, with their incessant orange glare
If something isn't done about light pollution my kids are going to grow up without ever having the fun of lying out on the grass and gazing up at a galaxy of stars. Does anyone have any suggestions about what to say in a letter to the local council etc?

A lot of councils in England are now turning off their street lights between midnight and 5am to save money. Others are just leaving every third light on. Now, this makes a lot of sense and I woudl like to know how much these councils are saving with these actions.

As I have already mentioned a new, small, roundabout was built near my home, it is in the middle of a crossroads, this is in a small estate remember, two street lights were already in place, and it was decided to add two more. Madness.

I guarantee that if you mention light pollution to the clowns who knock on your door they will stare blankly at you. When you carefully explain what it is, they will assure you that something will be done about it, when they get into power nothing will change.

It appears that there is no desire to save money, if you need cash, up the rents, add new taxes and go back to the IMF.

ive been thinking about light pollution and its the same storey in every town and city in this country,
the amount of unnessecery lights all around the place is crazy, an example here is a load of lights on a dual carriage way, where i can see no need for any lights there at all, no houses no foot paths no lighting needed at all but the lighting on this road is crazy, thers an place i go with the scope and its is about 3 or 4 miles away from this dual carriage way, but i can still see the sky is really orange in that area, its like having a mini las vegas 3 miles away, from the same observing sit i can see the lights of a retail park, again pure orange sky,
and another place i go brings me in a different direction, but when leaving the town on this road the street lights keep on going for 1.5 miles outside the town, now what can all this lighting be for?
these are just a few examples in my area, and there are many more, besides washing out the night sky, this has to cost an absolute fortune every year,
just my rant

I live in a small village south of Athy Co Kildare I am about 7km from Athy - even so i can see the glow of this medium size town to the extent that my northern view is pretty useless. looking east I see the glow from Carlow town. I really only have west and south. but in all honesty I am better off than most back garden astronomers. I do agree with the comments that most of our fellow men are ignorant of the light pollution issue and know even less about light trespass. and we also live in a world where most people would believe in astrology rather than astronomy....I have had conversations with people in my own village, where I would have been better off just saying Rubarb, rubarb rubarb rubarb rebarb

We are as a nation ignorant of most environmental matters and are probably about 30 years behind many northern European nations when it comes to issues like the one above. If the light pollution issue is ever solved for us.....it will be because of energy saving stratagies and not to facilitate astronomers

BTW I was at a community alert meeting a couple of years ago when someone suggest more street lights were needed around a small park in the village to discourage anti-social behaviour:laugh: Get some garda to patrol the village - all the lights in the world are useless unless someone can actually go and stop the anti-social behaviour

signed
very disturbed
Co Laois

Unfortunately stargazers, and those who have an interest in wildlife, will always be in a minority, crackpots, cranks, tree huggers, etc., a small voice in the wilderness, with those in power unable, or unwilling, to do anything about it, we had a Green minister for the environment in the last government, was the issue tackled? Hell no, it's more important to get more money out of motorists, and banning gas powered patio heaters.

I know that the area around where I work has seen a spate of burglaries in the past couple of weeks, a woman I work with lives in the area and I asked her did she know when they had taken place? Her neighbour's house was broken into, at midday, and those she knew about also took part during the daytime. So let's shoot down the theory that more light means more security. But she then told me that she intends to insert a large halogen light in her back garden, I asked why, and she said so that she would feel safer. When I pointed out that the houses were being broken into was during the day, it made no difference, the light will be going in.

The bottom line is if the populace believe that swamping the streets and countryside with excessive light will make them feel more secure, then the night sky can disappear, bats and birds can vanish, nocturnal animals can go extinct and they won't care.

Will any of them sleep less if the Greater Horseshoe bat dies out?

I didn't think so.

Paul

More street lighting can increase anti social behaviour. It shows a gross mis understanding of why kids are hanging about on a street corner causing trouble if you think a few lights are the solution.

Similarly always on alien security lighting can increase crime also. The criminal now has plenty of light to plan and carry out a crime and is much more likely not to be seen to be acting suspiciously or being identified. I'd suggest a big dog over halogen for home security and peace of mind.

Folks, without a properly co-ordinated nation campaign to highlight this issue, the vast majority of our neighbours and especially those in in positions of influence will remain ignorant of this situation.

Is it not time we did something to bring this issue to the fore on a national basis. I am afraid that growling and venting your spleen on this forum will unfortunatley do nothing to raise this issue on the national stage.

albertw wrote:

Similarly always on alien security lighting can increase crime also. The criminal now has plenty of light to plan and carry out a crime and is much more likely not to be seen to be acting suspiciously or being identified. I'd suggest a big dog over halogen for home security and peace of mind.

Id have to agree with this, theirs been a lot of homes being robbed here lately and more or less all happening in day light rather than night time, a good dog would be more affective than lights,