In The dark In Loudoun - Another Wacko Cause: Light Pollution

etherzone.com ^ | July 26, 2002 | Tom DeWeese

[per loin]

What common sense would that be? The common sense that bedwetters are afraid of the dark? The common sense that the boogie man will get you if it's dark?

I think you've hit the target.

[BlueCat]

Want to see the "majesty of the stars" every night, move to the country.

That's the problem. Those people who live in Loudoun County DID live in the country, and that was not but a year or two ago. (No thanks to AOL and the tech boom for that, but that is another story.) They shouldn't have to keep moving away from their home just to continue to be in the country.

[RightWhale]

I live in the country

I used to. But in the last 30 years the city has invaded and I have found my parcel surrounded by light, noise, noxious fumes, renters, dirt bikes, snow machines, and meth labs. You might ask what all this is doing in the middle of godforsaken Alaska, and I don't know.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Yeah, you're right. Those lousy electricity companies. We definitely need this legislation to keep our money out of the pockets of those greedy, price-gouging energy companies. Damn capitalists. They're what's wrong with the world.

[APBaer]

"the pro-light pollution folks are for it simply because you think being against it is a liberal plot."

And you'll notice that the Bilderbergers, the Trilateral Commission, and Harry Potter have *NOT* issued a denial.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Yeah, they should have the right to make sure no one else moves nearby to pollute the beauty of their precious night sky.

[Chemist_Geek]

Want to see the "majesty of the stars" every night, move to the country. The view of the heavens from out here is quite wonderful. But leave those who live in town and want the lights alone!

Want to see the bright lights? Then move to Las Vegas or Manhattan! But leave those who want the stars alone!

;-)

[Tailgunner Joe]

That's because they don't exist. Right?

[APBaer]

"That's because they don't exist. Right?"

Quite the contrary they *do* exist, and they are after you.
Yep, on the top of their encrypted list is "Tailgunner Joe."

Good thing you keep the lights on real bright, which will make one thing in your house that is even semi-bright.

[RonF]

1) No one wants to stop you from illuminating your property. They want to stop you from illuminating something that isn't your property.

2) Use of proper light fixtures and fittings can actually improve property lighting and security, with lower electrical costs.

3) Dark-sky legislation generally points at new installations, not forcing replacement of existing fixtures.

4) The concept that this is some kind of conspiracy to enable criminals and be the thin edge of the wedge for the U.N. to take over is truly paranoid and indicative that the proponent thereof has a slim grip on reality.

And yes, I am an amateur astronomer. I am also a Scouter, and a counselor for Astronomy Merit Badge. I reside, as do the Scouts in our Troop, in the Chicago suburbs. It's always interesting to take the blase and sophisticated junior high and high school kids out to somewhere that has a dark sky. I get all kinds of wonder-filled questions that they're normally way too cool to ask. The double-take you see from a kid whose spent his whole life in the 'burbs and sees a dark sky for the first time is priceless.

To read some articles that are based on actual facts, instead of paranoid ramblings, please go here. Sky and Telescope is a magazine for amateur astronomers that (understandably) keeps a close eye on this issue. You might also want to look here, at the International Darksky Association's web site. I have a next-door neighbor that thinks he needs a floodlight above his front door that not only illuminates his front yard, but my front yard and my bedroom windows. I've fantasized solving the problem with my .22. It's ridiculous. And unnecessary. And incredibly wasteful.

[RonF]

Sorry about the lack of links in the last post. Here's the Sky and Telescope link.

[Tailgunner Joe]

They want to stop you from illuminating something that isn't your property.

And just how do they propose to do that?

I have an idea, let's make a law that says you can use as much light as you want as long as it never leaves your property. Of wait, that's impossible.

[Conan the Librarian]

Tell'em. A case for pollution, litter, and higher electric bills.

[RonF]

The proposal is that, as government bodies and commerical enterprises replace light fixtures, they replace them with ones that direct all the light they cast downwards (which is the area you want to make safe and secure), instead of sideways or upwards (the which you have no concern for). The capital costs of replacing the existing light fixtures as they wear out with better ones will be greater, but not by much. And the savings in electrical expense will pay for it, something which I, as a taxpayer who pays for such bills, am interested in.

[Tailgunner Joe]

So, is this really about keeping my light off of your property, or is it about keeping my light out of your sky?

[thulldud]

If I own the sky over my property, then you got no bidniss spraying the emanations of excited mercury vapor into it.

Lighten up and read the post. He made a reasonable point, nothing to do with enviro-whacko-ism.

[Tailgunner Joe]

I pay for the electricity I use. I don't expect the taxpayer to subsidize me, and I don't expect them to foot the bill for replacing all the lights in town with 'dark-sky friendly' ones.

[No.6]

This particular proposal is nonsense; under the guise of some animals or birds or something residential lighting, which is the least 'polluting' light, will be restricted??!?

I'm FOR being able to see the sky again (without moving and moving and moving as the urbs and suburbs sprawl) but if we're to have a dark sky it a) doesn't mean we have to have a dark street and b) has more to do with endless glowing advertisements than Joe Citizen and his porch light.

[thulldud]

I don't expect the taxpayer to subsidize me

That wasn't the point.

[mercy]

I understand your antipathy regarding envirowhacko extremists. I share it. HOWEVER. Don't be a reactionary. Be common sensical.

Nobody wants to put up with their neighbors changing their car's oil in the driveway and letting the old oil run down the drive, into the gutter and into the water table.

Likewise no one likes the punks who drive around with their boom boxs on wheels blasting out base tones that can be FELT, let alone heard as they roll by. You can hear em coming a block away.

We mostly don't allow chain saws and leaf blowers to crank up before 8am because most of us like some peace and quiet in the morning ... AT LEAST.

We hunters and fishermen are glad the state puts restrictions on bag limits as we would like some fish and game left around for our kids and grand kids.

And on and on. The reaction of many to this light pollution deal is akin to anarchistic. Granted it would be easy to take this too far and the enviro extremists will probably try. But I love the dark sky. I live fifty miles form the nearest city and half the sky has no stars because millions of lights are shining ... UP. It's stupid and wasteful and an unfair intrusion on MY rights.

Light control is coming and many conservatives support it.