Now enviro-policy to “end light pollution” has France on track to look like North Korea at night:
From The Guardian:
Lights out – France to force shops and offices to go dark overnight
French light pollution law is expected to save 250,000 tonnes of C02 a year
The French ecology minister, Delphine Batho, said she hoped the law would change attitudes in France and help the country become a pioneer in reducing light pollution.
Full story here.
We’ve come so far to rid ourselves of the dark, only to have the lights forcibly turned off by zealots.
Luboš Motl writes about the issue
“Light pollution” is quoted as another justification. I’ve seen some movies about “light pollution” and although one could a priori think that this could be a legitimate concern, I think that all the people claiming that light pollution is a problem are Luddite lunatics, too. There’s just lots of places on Earth where light pollution is nearly non-existent. You may still go there. It’s probably not too important because not too many people are going there.
Maybe “bad astronomer” Phil Plait will move to France or North Korea now, we can only hope.
Locally, the idea of turning off lights has found favor in plans forged by the lunatic fringe that inhabits our town’s “sustainability committee”, run by Former Mayor Ann Schwab, who managed to sneak in the “climate action plan” in a meeting few attended on the night of the last election in 2012. Predictably, it was approved.
Since these folks on the council seem to worship the European way of doing things, I predict they’ll soon follow with the same edict. We have a lone volunteer staffed Chico Community Observatory in the town’s Bidwell park that they fought tooth and nail 10 years ago (I know, I was a part of it then), and they’ll now likely use it as a means to an end since, “Light pollution” was discussed at the onset.
How is saving energy and preventing lights shining into the sky “Luddite” ?
The point here is that its perfectly possible using good lighting design and controls, to light areas that need it AND have a reasonably dark night sky.
And why object anyway to turning off office and shop lights left blazing away uselessly all night ?
Some good comments on this thread that shows the original post was misguided.
I now this is about building lights but here is an interesting read, http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/crime.html
Glad to see a number of comments here attacking the dusky-peach skyglow from sodium streetlights [even if the original article was about bossing shopkeepers around using the hockey-stick of CO2 denormalisation]. Migraine-inducing levels of artificial lighting are a political feely to address “fear of crime” – they don’t reduce actual crime. I’ve linked a few studies about that on my old blog [clicky name], finding negative correlation between light-level and crime-rates.
What headbanging levels of streetlighting does is condition us to fear the dark. Please Big State, protect us from its evil and the bad men who are sure to lurk under its cover. It is also tangible evidence of a small portion of tax money being spent on non-naughty public service type activities.
The sodium orange vomits on architecture, reducing sense of place – everywhere starts to look like everywhere else. Because if there’s one thing the British political class can’t abide, it’s “localism”.
I understood France had switched to burning cars for night time illumination (and recreation) with over 40,000 “voitures brulees” consumed last year? http://www.leftlanenews.com/1193-vehicles-burned-in-france-on-new-years-eve.html
As an amateur astronomer, I agree with the policy. I would love to see the Milky Way from my own backyard .However, there are good ways to reduce light pollution with the correct fixtures without having to turn all the lights out.
FIrst of all, 93% of the French electricity production in 2011 was non-carbon based, according to my latest bill from EdF(2.7% coal, 2.7% gas, and 1.2% fuel oil, 0.4% “other”). The combustion units were probably used (1) during the highest peak periods, which occur during the winter here in France, because of the need for heating, or (2) in the coal producing areas up north, in order to ensure the the coal miners have something to do. Most nuclear units are baseload, but some do load-following, because they are such a large part of the generation capacity. The windmills(3.7%), as we all know, only generate when the wind blows.
I agree with the comments to make sure the lights shine down, and not up into the sky or into people’s windows, but we should also realize that when the lights are on, during the winter, they also provide heat to the buildings, as well as security. The nights are longer here in the winter because we are far to the north, while in the summer they are short. So, that energy is not really “wasted”, unless your value system says that lighting is wasted unless there are people there. And, every residential building I have been in here has had timers on ALL the hall lighting since the 80s.
The carbon-savings argument is really just BS green PR. It is highly unlikely that ANY carbon generation is running during the night, except as specialized spinning reserve, so when the lights are turned off, the nuclear units will just run back a few percent further. Everything else will run the same. If carbon units are running during a peak winter load, they are providing electricity for heat, and the heat energy will end up in the building one way or another.
After reading most of the comments above, I think most would agree that it comes down to balance.
Street lights often shine into bedrooms at night, so having them going off and on at night could wake light sleepers. Reflectors to redirect the light where it is needed and not everywhere else makes sense. Driving between towns and cities overnight, going from darkness into overly bright intersections and like, is very hard on the eyes and unnecessary.
Voluntary efficiency should always be encouraged. This requires mass public awareness and discussion. Waste not, want not.
There is a town in New Zealand that has limited itself to a maximum amount of light pollution as there is an excellent observatory nearby, which has driven some innovative solutions.
It comes down to knowledge, context, understanding, perspective and priorities.
What do we value most?
All over the UK streets lights go off with no discernible effect. Speaking as a criminal I like to see my victims first.
How about removing useless daylight headlamp running in the countries where it is mandatory?
Since: “….the third statistical analysis conducted by NHTSA to evaluate the effectiveness of daytime running lights (DRLs)…the analysis found that DRLs have no statistically significant overall effects” this could save, in Canada, about $1 million per day in fuel costs and restore the ability to signal other drivers by headlamp flashing.
I think this is fantastic! When people can no longer look up at the night sky and see stars, at least the poetic side of me thinks something dear has been taken from us.
Let there be Light.
When flying into Costa Rica from the north one notices the darkness over Nicaragua and upon crossing into CR airspace the incredible network of lights on the ground below. Is this a good thing?
Well, having lived many years in the countryside here and knowing how bureaucracies work, let me tell you a story, perhaps not as entertaining as Willis, but maybe as informative.
ICE, the monopoly electricity company has a program to illumate the countryside. One can find country roads that run for kilometers without a habitation, but illuminated. At night probably not one soul passes by as the lights shine. Why? Because there is some department in ICE the employees of which are dependent upon extending road illumination or else – or else, what? Certainly not losing their jobs, but that is a different story.
On the other hand, ICE regails us not to waste electricity, and has all sorts of programs and propaganda urging citizens to save little electrons from an untimely demise.
No, there is almost no such thing as a nighttime sky here. We are lucky to be able to discern the full moon as it rises (slight exageration for the sake of the narrative).
Electric light is perhaps the miracle of the last 2 centuries, but sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. I raise a Pilsen to Thomas Edison.
As French nuclear power generation already does some load following, there is absolutely nothing to be gained (in terms of the generating industry) by reducing night time electricity demand further. In actual fact, it would probably benefit the power stations to force the shops and offices to keep the lights on at night! Pushing nuclear further into load following could have adverse effects. It would be better to find a use for the excess electricity available at night, though if smart meters are introduced, a bit of cheap overnight electrical heating would do the job. It is the evening peak demand (as people arrive home, and plug the kettle in) that we could do with reducing.
It would nice if the outside fixtures commonly in use today were replaced with the sky friendly ones as their service life ends. Last time i read about them they were comparable in price – same amount of light – just aimed down where folks actually need to see and not at the International Space Station. the nightly blue and orange glows that the present lighting produces can be seen far beyond the horizon and in my opinion is just as much an eyesore at night as the windmills decorating our wilderness areas are in the day. I really miss seeing the big meteor showers from my house, and there are two notable comets coming this year. It’s not always possible to drive to a location hours away from home to a low light area as some here have suggested. Especially on the east coast of the US. Check out “http://www.blue-marble.de/nightlights/2010”
As an amateur astronomer, I agree with the policy. I dont care what BS is been used to justify it, I want a dark sky, outdoor or indoor lights, I want them all off. One thing I do agree with is I DO hope Phil Plait would move to North Korea because he is a jackass.
I too like darkness at night, but it has nothing to do with saving the planet. I few years ago I called the power company and asked if they could put a switch at the bottom of the power pole that has the yard light. I want the yard light on sometimes when I’m working outside after dark, but would like to turn if off when not needed. They said I would have to hire an electrician to do that. Well, the light is on their side of the meter and I’m charged a flat rate of $3/month so I don’t get why they wouldn’t want to put a switch on it for me to turn if off every now and then.
Not willing to mess with their light and be accused of damaging anything, I’ve finally decided to rig up a small light at the top of the pole that can be turned on and off remotely or hard-wired to a switch at ground level. The small light will trigger the light sensor turning the yard light off at night. The only problem is, I ‘ll have to climb up the pole or get my wife to run the loader and lift me up to the top. Now that’s scary. (having my wife operate a loader with me in the bucket next to a power line).
This may be my last comment.
I’m another amateur astronomer too.
Look out the aeroplane window when coming to land. Street lights actually do have very effective reflectors. The biggest problem is the light scatter (humidity) and the light bandwidth.
Back in the 1980’s the British Astronomical Society went all out with many famous scientists to have the UK install low pressure sodium bulbs which give off a monochromatic light which is easily filtered. Plus the fact a 150W (low pressure) has the same light as a 400W (high pressure) Sodium Bulb.
They said (sic) yes, yes, yes. It will save the public purse a fortune because they burn so efficiently.. My town had a rebuild.. No no no. It is now like daytime lit up in pure white and sod the taxpayer. There are millions of British children who have no idea of the wonders of their own sky. The politicians must of thought it would make the colour blind bump into traffic lights.
My area now has blue/white LED lighting and are actually quite painful to the eyes when driving in the car. The dark/light contrasts are far too high because the blue in the light closes the iris to protect the eye, lowers the painful glare; hence leaves everywhere else in the dark.
Basically, we have a bunch of brain dead cretins flogging their second rate untested goods to other brain dead carbonazi cretins that don’t even have a basic clue that red light penetrates better, easy on the eye; causes no glare and if you want to see the sky, easily filtered.
Isn’t this thread about unused French offices turning lights and computers off at night?
And why are so many turkeys here voting for Christmas? Street lights cost YOU MONEY!
Did they offset that 250,000 tonnes of CO2 against the torch batteries the burglars will be using?
I’m french and I am really ashamed of having such a silly Government. Since our electricity comes at 80% from nuclear plants, it will just make the consumption peaks even bigger and the cities less safe in the night. So we’ll have to spend more money on managing the electric grid and on “safety lightenings”, wait for it !
I have thought for some time that it would be good to have a monthly lights-out evening in Los Angeles so my students would know what stars look like. One would think that economics would motivate store owners to turn off the lights to save money; however nighttime lighting is good advertising and the nature of business is not to give your competitors an edge. (I remember during the Arab oil embargo running very low on gas at night and going some distance off the freeway in Moreno Valley to an illuminated (Arco?) sign, only to find when I got there that the station itself was closed.) So I suppose there is a perverse logic in requiring everyone to do it.
But maybe “physician, heal thyself!” is applicable here. The government itself is the major illuminator. Before passing laws for the rest of us, a conversion to motion detection and directional LED street lights could save a lot of tax money. (BTW, I think I read that coherent LED lighting can be tuned to a narrow wavelenth that astronomers can filter out. Someone here can probably comment on that.)
I spent my summers 30 years ago in rural Ireland (one of the least light polluted areas in Europe at the time) and recently lived in the North of Western Australia (which must be the least light polluted land area on the planet, maybe on par with North Korea). The magnificence of the Milky Way at night is something that is impossible to grasp till you see it with the naked eye in full Panorama. Deep sea Sailing has the same benefits, with the added option of the occasional rational fear of drowning. That for me would be enough to try out the French suggestion of turning out the lights in buildings which are empty. The complete waste of leaving lights on when there is no one there to benefit has always annoyed me.
So, in Phil Wright’s, opinion everyone should organise their lives around his hobby
I suspect that the “disadvantaged youth” will welcome this with open arms.
A nice illustration of light pollution over New Zealand’s captial city can be seen at:
http://markg.photoshelter.com/image/I0000nnUP_7sHv0I
The pollution arises from wated light that is deflects upwards. It can be substantially eliminated by the use of cut-off lighting. This provides enhanced illumination at ground level for a lower energy input. Security is markedly improved. Costs are less.
We are not talking North Korea or luddites here. Rather think Calgary. They did this years ago:
http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/Roads/Pages/Traffic/Traffic-signals-and-streetlights/Streetlight-FAQs.aspx
To the whining “astronomers” on here…You are AMATEURS gettit!
Proper astronomers have proper facilities in proper locations, such as at the top of mountains or in orbit…as I referred to previously.
And this is OPTICAL “astronomy” you are fumbling with in your backyards, in the 21st Century.
Who do you guys think you are, Lord Herschell?
And we ought to leave climatology to the scientists while we’re at it too!
Here’s the kind of work that can be done with backyard telescopes.
Jayne at 3.17p.m. is referring to the town of Tekapo near Mt John University Observatory in the central South Island of New Zealand. This area known as the McKenzie Country has been listed as a world heritage site because of the dark skies. There are similar areas being promoted around the world. Gueaga Dark Sky Park in Ohio is something of a rarity in the eastern U.S. as far as I know.
As an amateur astronomer I have dreaded the day that the green zealots latch onto the case against light pollution. On cue they go about it all the wrong way insisting on lights being turned off etc, and for the wrong reasons to boot! Roading/lighting engineers are becoming more and more atune to the benefits of efficient downlights on our highways in New Zealand. Some of my astronomical friends are a bit too impatient and want all of the street lights changed asap. This just isn’t practical. Light pollution is an insidious thing and a solution to it is not a five minute fix.
Several people writing here live under the misguided conception that more light offers more of a deterrent to criminals when quite the opposite is true. If burglars for example have to provide their own light then there activities are more noticeable to those who need to know. Think of how the infamous Watergate Burglars were spotted.
Some of the worst examples of light trespass are poorly directed security lights. In one example put out by the IDA (International Dark Sky Assoc. based in the U.S.) they show a brightly lit car park area next to a building with a few small trees in a garden beside a building. In the second photo the lighting is shielded from direct view and suddenly three men can be clearly seen standing between the trees that weren’t visible in the first photo.
As an interesting aside, when I started into astronomy 40 years ago this year many councils around the country decided to turn the street lights off after midnight as a cost saving measure during the first Arab Oil Crisis in 1973. My city’s population was around 65,000 back then and I lived in an outer suburb so it was like moving to the country at each midnight. There was no increase in crime rates anywhere that I am aware of. In the end I voted with my feet and have lived in the country for the past 33 years. Having said that I am only 10 miles (16km’s) from the city and yet I enjoy very dark skies despite the combined glow of the now 90,000+ to my east.
In 1986 we petitioned the local city council to turn the street lights off for a few hours on clear nights so that city folk could get a better view of Halley’s Comet. The numerous straw man arguments raised here were prevalent and the council decided against it in the end. low and behold though and for some reason still unknown one fine night the street lights failed for a few hours that April. everything else was still working. many people commented on the great view that they had of the comet riding high in our southern skies that night. To me the more memorable thing was to see just how much commercial uplighting contributes to the green/orange glow above our populated centres! It always intrigues me as to why neon advertising lights need to be on at 3.a.m. Who are they trying to attract the attention of? The drunks staggering out of the bars that are now open until the wee hours perhaps?
The movement of the greens into this arena will only detract from a worthy cause. A cause that doesn’t need extremes or extremists!
Cheers,
Coops