I would like to see such a policy implemented widely.People in a village where the street lights have been turned off to save cash say they have not really noticed the change.
Leicestershire County Council's highways engineers have adapted 39 of the 44 lamps in Smeeton Westerby, near Market Harborough, so they are unlit from midnight to 5.30am ...
Kelvin Capell, of the King's Head pub, said: "I can't say that I notice the difference."
It would save money - the Mercury says that by cutting night-time lighting in seven villages and along 50 rural roads the county council will save up to £700,000 a year.
And it would also enable more people to experience the night sky as their grandparents did. Back in 2005 I quoted Timothy Ferris of NASA, who said:
Others will regard the policy as a way of reducing carbon emissions, but I prefer environmental politics that are based upon a reverence for the natural world rather than a fear of it."The loss of the night sky is most troubling for children. Whole generations of kids in cities and suburbs are growing up seldom if ever having seen the Milky Way and what a sky full of thousands of stars might look like."
"People often describe to me in glowing terms their experience in viewing the night time sky as if they'd seen something extraordinarily exotic ... something akin to observing Victoria Falls or the south pole. And I'm afraid that's the case for many people ... that they can count on the fingers of one hand the times they've seen a good night's sky."
3 comments:
"Others will regard the policy as a way of reducing carbon emissions, but I prefer environmental politics that are based upon a reverence for the natural world rather than a fear of it."
I like the £700,000 a year savings. :-) But I tend toward the mercenary so I'm sort of biased.
Here in Oadby our low pressure "orange" sodium lights were replaced just a few years ago with taller "whiter" high pressure sodium lamps. Th eold ones used about 55W. The new ones appear to be the 150W type.
I did initally object on the grounds that they weren't hooded, used more energy and were likely make the night sky lighter.
I was told that we had to have this type because we are on a bus route but offered some hooding to keep the light on the road.
I have noticed a further deterioation in the night sky here and only use my telescope here for planetary work now.
I would welcome some reduction in the lighting here but I wonder how keen our local councillors will be to do this is an urban environment.
I forgot also to mention that a winter's night sky in Norfolk (where we have family) is just draw dropping. A pair of binoculars is enough to bring out some wonderful detail.
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