“As for your contention that we are the intruders into nature, I totally reject that notion.”
If you are in a natural setting, such as the Everglades, then, yes, we are the intruders, definitely. If you visit an African game reserve, fail to follow the guidelines issued by park officials, and then get eaten by a lion, do you blame the lion? As far as she’s concerned you’re just another morsel for her cubs. The same would apply in the Everglades if you get covered by swarms of insects. It’s not their fault. Moreover, the decision to go there was yours. If you don’t like insects, don’t go to such places and stay at home. As for the insects, in such places, they come with the territory. For my part I’ve lived in places frequented by snakes, scorpions, centipedes, the lot, and didn’t find them a problem.
“As for lighting design, how am I going to provide lighting that won’t attract bugs? They’re literally everywhere. They are going to be drawn to lights, that’s just how they function. And motion sensors are fine for some applications, but not for others. You can’t wire the whole lighting scheme to motion sensors, that’s a ridiculous assumption based on ignorance of people’s needs and wants.”
You’re right, you can’t. But you can design lights that minimise the problem by aiming light downwards so that it doesn’t leak out to where it is not wanted. Most lighting now available does nothing of the sort. That’s why we have light pollution.
Motion sensors are for domestic security lights, which is what most householders want. If all security lights were motion operated we would have less of a problem and I wouldn’t be complaining. Granted there will be the need for non-motion operated lighting in work-stations, etc where people are going to be working all night. Motion operated lighting in these situations would not be appropriate. Nevertheless, the lighting can be designed in such a way that it only goes where it is needed, and no-where else. That should be part of your job-description as a lighting designer.
“As for being responsible, do you think people are generally stupid? I’m not trying to be rude, but really- do you feel it’s your duty to inform everyone else of what they may or may not do with their own money on their own property?”
There was a time when I respected elected officials in local government, and that they commanded a certain degree of authority. Unfortunately, due to my encounters with such people I found the level of ignorance and arrogance absolutely appalling. We get situations where a street lighting department can hang a street light outside your home without some much as a by-your-leave, and all under the pretext of safety and security. I resent that. They adopt the attitude that we all need street lights. Sorry. We don’t. Street lighting however can be construed as useful in urban, and some suburban situations, but what are worse are the crass public art projects that deliberately inject light into the night sky. I’ve been personally involved in killing off a number of these civic vanity projects, with considerable public support, and all of these were sanctioned by ignorant, arrogant morons in local government intent on an ego trip. In each case the savings to the public exchequer amounted to hundreds of thousands.
I think I credit householders with a certain amount of intelligence, and if all lighting intended for exterior use was motion operated then you reduce the risks of neighbour disputes, which from personal experience, can be quite ugly. If you really have any concern for your fellow man, you wouldn’t want to peddle merchandise that can precipitate these problems. For most domestic purposes, motion operated lighting is all that is needed, and where it isn’t, sky-friendly screened lighting is available. You should be promoting that, and phasing out lighting that is inappropriate. Once all lighting is sky-friendly, the customer is still free to choose what suits his needs. And he/she will do so knowing its environmental impact will be minimal.
I’m honoured by your invitation to compete against you, but no thanks. I’m an academic, without any business acumen, and the business world is not for me. So long as I make enough money to support my family I’m happy.
Your heavy use of the I pronoun is consistent with a high level of vanity. Vanity always occurs with envy. They are related mental processes. Leftism is the politics of resentment and you have the disease. If you are truly happy you shouldn't concern yourself with dictating how your neighbors behave. You are likely not a happy person and feel you can never be fully happy until destroy all the objects that challenge your self-concept of unrecognized greatness. The head shrink profession makes their living reattaching oversized egos to reality and you would benefit from their feedback, and would probably greatly enjoy the all the attention they will give you.
That said I will agree with you that motion sensor lighting should be used more often. But it should not be mandated. The laws of supply and demand will do their work. If many people want to light up their nice big house, green lawn, SUV, fireplace, and all the things you resent, they should enjoy the freedom to do so and not have you dictating their lifestyle to assuage your feelings of resentment.
As I stated, it’s perfectly natural for humans to alter their environment.
Now, I 100% agree with you about the inherent stupidity of any given beauracracy. Some are better than others, but they all seem to suffer from some sort of institutional vortex of power hunger and arrogance.
My clients are private property owners however, not government. I don’t need that headache in my life dealing with such close-minded people.
That said, there are some lighting applications that have no useful purpose other than ambience and beauty. Architectural highlights, landscape elements, sculpture, etc. are all legitimate subjects for a good lighting designer.
I know this is probably sending you into a panic, living with the knowledge that people are spending their own hard earned money on nothing more than pretty lights around their own homes, but there you have it. It happens.
As I said earlier, I try to use the most efficient sources and technologies that I can, (even been looking into some of the newer generation solar panels lately), but there are times when a client has the money to do whatever the hell he wants, efficiency notwithstanding. Guess what. It’s his money, his property, his life. I won’t infringe on his inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness or property use. Obviously, I’m going to do my best to be tasteful and offer my professional advice (since his neighbors also may be my future clients), but ultimately it’s his decision.
And if he wants to leave them on all night, he will. (Yes, we sell timers, photocells and motion sensors too, don’t get too worried.)
As for your line of work as an academic, let me suggest that you’re laboring under a very skewed sense of reality. Sitting in a classroom is all fine and well for book knowledge, but real education and application takes place after the dismissal bell rings.