So,What ELSE do You like to do in the Dark? :-)
By ShepherdSpy
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
Omagh, Northern Ireland
February 19, 2009 8:42pm CST
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_new_zealand_embracing_the_dark
I like this idea of towns and cities cutting down or cutting out much of our light pollution..it stands to sense...it should help save on energy that's currently being radiated unnecessarily upwards...with aircraft having radar and GPS to navigate by,do we really need to leave the landing lights on all night? [(c)the old jokes home..
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I live in a small rural village that's recently been "upgraded" with new street lights along the road..since then,the only thing I could see at night with a telescope was the Moon.. I'd like the sky back!
How does anyone living in a built up area feel about trying to sleep in a room lit by streetlights outside?
Thanks for comments!
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I live in a small rural village that's recently been "upgraded" with new street lights along the road..since then,the only thing I could see at night with a telescope was the Moon.. I'd like the sky back!
How does anyone living in a built up area feel about trying to sleep in a room lit by streetlights outside?
Thanks for comments!5 responses
@cmauthe1 (267)
• Canada
1 Mar 09
I recently moved to a rural property in southern BC and had forgotton how dark it is without all the light polution from civilization (I use the term loosely). The stars are so breathtaking and there are millions visible. I am concerned about light polution but I am more concerned about the waste of resources.
My question is how much power is enough? Drive down any community/town/city street and be aware of just how much power is being wasted. Do we really need to be using so much? I know there are many people out there who are not concerned, but there are many of us who are. For example, I know that our Christmas season entails multitudes of twinkling outdoor and indoor lights. However, the lights should not be left on 24/7, and should be removed after the season. In BC, one of our main concerns is the devastation to our natural waterways to produce hydro-electricity. My question is "Is it a case of NIMBY syndrome?" or in this case, out of sight, out of mind? How do people justify the waste?
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
2 Mar 09
Thanks for the response,and Welcome to Mylot!
Those Christmastime house displays haven't gotten too widespread here (yet!) but I think it's only a matter of time..I don't like that "Keeping up with the Jones'" attitude that drives those things.."I've got a great idea-Let's do better than them next year!" It gets to be a tradition,I suppose..I like that HEP comes from a renewable resource,but not the destruction needed to get it to work..
Those Christmastime house displays haven't gotten too widespread here (yet!) but I think it's only a matter of time..I don't like that "Keeping up with the Jones'" attitude that drives those things.."I've got a great idea-Let's do better than them next year!" It gets to be a tradition,I suppose..I like that HEP comes from a renewable resource,but not the destruction needed to get it to work..@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
10 Mar 09
Near where I live in Ireland is an HEP generating station using the river Erne leaving the Lough Erne system on it's fall towards the Atlantic coast...the zebra mussels that have become a problem in the world waterways were somehow introduced here too..I heard the mussels reside close to the surface,and that lowering the water level behind the spillway would leave them high and dry,with a possibility of killing them off..it's interesting to see the drop happening! Lough Erne is a renowned natural Amenity in Ireland..the Station is well integrated into it's surroundings,and doesn't leave visitors or environmentalists upset..
@cmauthe1 (267)
• Canada
2 Mar 09
Thank you for the welcome to MyLot - I am a real newbie, so please bear with me and thanks for your patience. I recently heard a comedian who said "why are we killing ourselves to buy stuff we don't need to impress people we don't even like". Boy, that rings true! It also seems that those people who are really concerned with keeping up with the Jones', are owned by the banks. The level of debt in our society is astonishing and scary.
Although HEP is from renewable energy, we are destroying nature at a rapid pace to create it. What bothers me is that it seems that a lot of people have no idea where that power comes from (and/or just don't care), or the destruction caused by the creation of the power. Is it because most people do not go out in the wilderness so they don't really know what damage has been done? I grew up in the mountains (yeah, kind of a redneck/hillbilly, I guess but I prefer the term "mountain girl"), so have seen many before/after shots of the damage that "civilization" and "progress" cause. I would like to know if this concerns the majority, as there seem to be quite a few people like the one who replied to you that said "green scam". Are people really so naive? I do not mean to anger anyone, but this just confuses and frustrates me. We only have one Earth and if we don't care for her and respect her - what then?
@Patrika952 (156)
• United States
20 Feb 09
I used to be a big city girl. My husband and I moved out to the country about 5 years ago, and for the first few months I would spend hours outside at night in amazement at how many stars there were in the sky. All these years I thought there were just 5, LOL, and now I was seeing hundreds! It is absolutely amazing, and the meteor showers are to die for. When I say country, I dont mean rural. I mean middle of nowhere, closest neighbor about 2 miles away. No lights to spoil the view. I pity the poor city dwellers who do not get to experience what a night sky can really be.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
22 Feb 09
much the same with Me..I was born and raised in a city,and then moved to Ireland where there's a much less dense population spread..but even though there's open fields behind my house,at the front I'm looking out towards a road junction in my village that's lit by those bright orange/yellow sodium vapour streetlights..I can see some stars on a clear night,but it would be nice to be able to appreciate them without the glow of the streetlights spoiling my night vision...In summer,and in dry weather,I'm close enough to work that I'll bike in and out...I work evenings mostly,so in summer I can get in by daylight,and if the weather co-operates get home again under a clear or moonlit sky..the main road is unlit which makes for a scenic trip home..
@peavey (16936)
• United States
21 Feb 09
My biggest problem is the neighbor's light in my bedroom window! We don't have more street lights than we need. They discourage thieves and other criminals so I wouldn't want to be without them. There are, however, lights downtown and in other areas that seem unnecessary and if they are, they should be turned off.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
22 Feb 09
The row of houses where I live are lined out facing a road...I don't have anyone looking in at Me..it's just the streetlights lining the road that shine in on Me.. There's a theory that providing enough street light enables the light fingered to take a look around without being too obvious what they're up to..but If they need to use a flashlight to check things out,they'd stand out more...not sure how true that is..
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
25 Feb 09
I live in a city (a small city) and we do have light pollution but on Friday night I do OT at a location out in the boonies. I worked there for almost 1 1/2 years before and the best thing was going out at night and seeing the stars on a clear night, there are no many of them. It is absolutely gorgeous.
As for lighting the runways...if no one is expected to land I would think they could shut them off or at least most of them. And then light them up as a plane approaches.
It is nice for me to have street lights though since I walk my dogs at night...I don't like falling into potholes or tripping on things left on the street. Plus we have had close encounters with skunks and without street lights it could have been deadly. Maybe the street lights could be more energy efficient or solar batteries could be used and/or motion detectors.
I don't think we have to do an all or nothing route.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
26 Feb 09
The "Old Joke" I was referring to was the one about having planes circling the house because the landing lights were on..the STAIR Landing! (Told You it was Old...)
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@Undertheoath (365)
• United States
20 Feb 09
Yes, lets reverse the technological advancements because we are all now socially forced to follow the "Go Green" scam. I think they should still have the power grid online for those who want to utilize it, because why should every one suffer for the socialistic idealisms?
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Feb 09
Working towards more efficient public and domestic lighting and a reduction in light pollution is what you consider a technological step backwards? Also,The article doesn't mention anything about shutting down the grid,or the political affiliations of those sponsoring the initiative..and who's going to be suffering when less juice is being wasted? Ideally,I could do with paying smaller electric bills and having my municipal rates cut..How about You? I'd rather have a reliable source of low energy lighting than having rolling brownouts or blackouts because the grid can't cope with demand..
