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[DSLF] Digest Number 572
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There are 10 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. RE: NY veto
From: "Fitzpatrick, Eric (J.)" <efitzpat@visteon...>
2. Re: "Artificial Light, Wildlife Studied" - Associated Press, 2/3/02
From: ctstarwchr@aol...
3. message
From: " Paolo Cazzaniga" <stache@libero...>
4. File - SplitLink.txt
From: DarkSky-list
5. Re: [sfaaa] Artificial Light, Wildlife Studied
From: Lew Gramer <dedalus@alum....edu>
6. Re: News stories pertaining to light pollution
From: "Karolyn Beebe" <keedos@earthlink...>
7. Help with Response to Goveneors Office and Legislators
From: Tim Crawford <windwalker@gci...>
8. Induction lamp info
From: "Karolyn Beebe" <keedos@earthlink...>
9. Decorative Outdoor Street Lighting Product Analysis
From: ctstarwchr@aol...
10. Light Pollution isn't just about the Night Sky any more!
From: Paul Greenhalgh <fvas@shaw...>
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 09:25:12 -0500
From: "Fitzpatrick, Eric (J.)" <efitzpat@visteon...>
Subject: RE: NY veto
Great letter Steve!
( Please trim past messages before sending replies. )
Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2002 13:46:40 -0500
From: Steve Davis <w2sgd@juno...>
Subject: NY veto
Re "Light pollution bill is vetoed by Pataki" by Seanna Adcox, AP,
Glens Falls Post-Star, Feb. 2, 2002, page B5
Editor:
The bill's intent was to establish better outdoor lighting
practices using current technology which is no different than any
building code.
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 13:26:22 EST
From: ctstarwchr@aol...
Subject: Re: "Artificial Light, Wildlife Studied" - Associated Press, 2/3/02
Greetings:
This morning the following recommendation came to me from Ms. Naomi Miller,
FIES, IALD, LC of Naomi Miller Lighting Design in New York. Her advice is in
regard to my message yesterday. Good words to live by, too. Thanks Naomi !!
:-)
Clear skies,
Cliff Haas
http://members.aol.com/ctstarwchr
In a message dated 2/4/02 8:23:04 AM Eastern Standard Time, Naomi Miller,
FIES, IALD, LC writes:
> Just a suggestion for terminology. In the lighting biz we use the term
> "electric lighting" instead of "artificial lighting." It takes away the
> negative valence from lighting products that may indeed be very beneficial
> and healthful.
> Naomi Miller
>
>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <A HREF="mailto:CtStarWchr@aol...";>CtStarWchr@aol...</A>
>> Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 11:23 PM
>> Subject: "Artificial Light, Wildlife Studied" - Associated Press, 2/3/02
>>
>> In the future, please try not to refer to any kind of light as being
>> artificial because all light, regardless of how it is generated, is indeed
>> very real. If the spectra and intensity meets certain parameters many
>> organisms cannot tell the difference, resulting in severe negative impacts
>> to their circadian rhythms, behaviors, and health.
>>
>> Using phrases like *artificially generated illumination* or *unnaturally
>> occurring light* may help you to provide a far more accurate description.
>> ;-)
>>
>>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 21:08:05 +0100
From: " Paolo Cazzaniga" <stache@libero...>
Subject: message
Hello Guys
I'm a physicist dealing with astronomy and its related problems and have been subscribing IDA association for years, here's a comment on what's actually going on.
Astronomers in favour of light pollution !!!
Dear friends,
last friday 11 january I attended a public examination of a bill against
light pollution by the government of an Italian Region. It contains very
good prescriptions in agreement with the Law of the Lumbardy Region. IDA,
Cielobuio and local amateurs astronomers had a speech to support it. There
was a quite general agreement on this draft.
Surpringsly an astronomer, the Director of the Department of Astronomy of
the University of Bononia, Prof. Bruno Marano, had speech AGAINST IT,
claiming that in his view if there is some light pollution is not a problem,
denigrating the Law of Lumbardy and suggesting a minor protection. All
people, including politicians, were surprised for his speech because Prof.
Cinzano, the Science Director of the IDA-Italian, had explained few minutes
earlier, clearly and in detail, the technical reasons to reduce near zero
upward light emissions.
Bruno Marano was involved with some persons who some years ago prepared a
standard rule on light pollution which is known to be poorly effective and
he didn't accepted that we support another much better rule. However this do
not diminish the seriousness of the event.
The speech of Marano created a lot of complaints by amateurs to Italian
astronomer's organizations. It is incredible that an astronomer be in favour
of more pollution.
Moreover, his Vice-Director Fabrizio Bonoli, who is also vice-president of
the Italian Astronomical Society, wrote a letter on behalf of the Society
supporting that bad technical rule. So in conclusion, italian professional
astronomers appear officially favouring more light pollution. Unbelivable
!!!
I want to advise you all to be careful when there are astronomers in
commissions discussing Bills. In some cases particular interests of
astronomers could differ from the general interest of the population for a
protection of the night sky and they could not help you in the battle
against light pollution or damage it.
Sincerely
Dott. Paolo Cazzaniga
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Message: 4
Date: 4 Feb 2002 21:00:01 -0000
From: DarkSky-list
Subject: File - SplitLink.txt
Forum Productivity Hint -- Long Internet Links
This is an automated message so please do not respond in
the general messages. Any questions may be directed to:
darksky-list-owner@yahoogroups...
It appears the YahooGroups system has recently undergone
another *improvement* that everyone must be aware of...
When long Internet links split into two or more lines, a
back slash (\) character is now being appended to the first
line!
PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE THIS CHARACTER when you paste split
links to your web browsers because it does not belong there
and will often result with a *404 File Not Found* error.
Some Yahoo in the programming department has screwed up by
trying to make things more convenient for everyone. :-\
With links that split you must post each line to your browser
address bar separately so the cumulative URL is included. Be
sure the first part that has already been pasted is not highlighted
in your address bar when the next part is pasted or it will cause
it to be erased when you paste the next part of the link.
Sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. There is nothing
that I can do about this problem with the available system
settings from a sysop standpoint.
Best regards,
DarkSky List Forum Owner
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 16:44:26 -0500
From: Lew Gramer <dedalus@alum....edu>
Subject: Re: [sfaaa] Artificial Light, Wildlife Studied
>To: sfaaa@yahoogroups...
>Cc: New England Light Pollution Advisory Group <nelpag@HARVEE...BILLERICA.MA.US>,
> DarkSky-list@yahoogroups..., Lew Gramer (me) <dedalus@alum....edu>
>Subject: Re: [sfaaa] Artificial Light, Wildlife Studied
>Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 15:48:06 -0500
>From: Lew Gramer <dedalus@latrade...>
Member 'Chuck' posted to "sfaaa", the mailing list of the "South
Florida Amateur Astronomers Association", the following:
>Allies in the fight!
> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20020203/sc/deadly_lights_1.html
Great stuff, Chuck! I also noticed that a researcher from just up
the State a ways, is actually attending this little conference:
"A recent settlement won some concessions, but more data would
have made for a stronger case, said Melissa Grigione, an assistant
professor at the University of South Florida..."
Local folks interested in helping out in this area, might actually
consider contacting Professor Grigione, just to let her know she
has some natural allies (amateur astronomers) just to her south?
Also, this lighting engineer seemed to be kind of poorly informed:
"So far, there is little if any awareness about the issue among
lighting industry groups, according to the Illuminating Engineering
Society of North America and the International Association of
Lighting Designers."
I would have sworn that representatives from at least ONE of these
two organizations, are currently advisors to the IDA (International
Dark-sky Association)... And the negative impact on wildlife is one
of the key concerns often cited in IDA literature. So maybe the word
from IDA just hasn't gotten out widely enough in that profession yet?
Clear & dark skies all,
Lew Gramer
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 17:24:03 -0600
From: "Karolyn Beebe" <keedos@earthlink...>
Subject: Re: News stories pertaining to light pollution
> http://www.trnonline.com/stories/02032002/local_news/29486.shtml
>
> http://www.trnonline.com/stories/02032002/regional_news/29485.shtml
>
> http://www.trnonline.com/stories/02032002/regional_news/29487.shtml
Thanks Fred!
Each was written by Hanaba Munn Noack.
Contact info is under Regional Reporters in:
http://www.trnonline.com/contactus2/editorial.shtml
I wrote a thank you and later another re: #3 'Glow Affects Few Animals.' I too
assumed "..artificial lights put food on the table" for birds those midnights I
watched them & bugs swirling in the light missing the capitol dome. Copies went
to Emory Boring and Jeff Slosser via contacts in http://lubbock.tamu.edu/
==================================
Voracious bug eaters such as songbirds are vital to intigrated pest management.
These allies (kinglets, thrushes, warblers, flycatchers, etc) migrate in the
dark and thousands are killed due to electric light. These sites offer more
information.
Lights at Night Mean Trouble for Birds
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/NightLights.html
>From a fact sheet of the Toronto, Ontario Humane Society,
Nocturnal migrant bird casualties:
The Light that Maims and Kills:
http://members.dencity.com/alcatraz/lightkills.html
Canadian Wildlife Federation
The Mystery of the Vanishing Songbirds
http://www.cwf-fcf.org/pages/nww2001/projects/project30_e.htm
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Bird kills at
towers and other man-made structures
http://www.jmu.edu/wmra/engineering/bibliography.html
Cities help birds follow safe paths:
http://stacks.msnbc.com/local/pencilnews/111964.asp
reports on Chicago's 'Lights Out' campaign. The official website
is online during migration time, starting in mid-March:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/environment/html/BirdMigration.html
More is available under Flora & Fauna in the LiteLynx:
http://members.aol.com/ctstarwchr/LiteLynx.htm#index
Karolyn Beebe
Madison, WI
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 16:44:54 -0900
From: Tim Crawford <windwalker@gci...>
Subject: Help with Response to Goveneors Office and Legislators
Background.
I actually live in Anchorage, Alaska while the Observatory is located at a
more rural site outside of Anchorage (which is also losing the Dark Sky
battle, already)
While I am, at the moment, simply a one person effort here in Alaska, as
near as I can determine, an example of just how far the effort has to go is
that the City of Anchorage bills itself as the CITY OF LIGHTS and darn
proud of it! Folks are encouraged to drape their homes, trees and bushes
with strings of lights so that the city can live up to it's billing.
jeesh...
Along with a number of local assembly/council representatives I also made a
mailing of selected Dark Sky material to my State Senator, State
Representative and the Governors office. A copy of the State of
Connecticut's roadway lighting Statue was included for the State Officials.
I would appreciate any words of wisdom from those of you with more
experience that you might care to share with me as to how I might respond to
these initial responses from State officials.
>From the Governors office:
"...this administration and the Alaska Department of Transpiration and
public facilities support the goals of dark skies and strive to use
non-glare lighting.......In most cases, these goals are compatible with
providing safe, cost-effective highway lighting; sometimes they are not.
For example, the DOT&PF has installed semi-cutoff light fixtures, which
produce light above the horizontal, on the Palmer Hay Flats. One reason for
installing the lighting is to reduce collisions with moose. Full cut-off
lights would not provide enough light on the flats to reveal moose
approaching the road.
Another example involves the lighting we often use along expressways and
freeways. The "expressway" fixtures allow us to use fewer lights, locate
them further off the road (which enhances safety and facilitates snow
removal), and reduces electricity costs by around 30 percent. However,
because they are oriented diagonally, instead of directly downward, they
also produce light above the horizontal. Replacing semi-cutoff fixtures
with full-cutoff fixtures on existing lighting systems can be problematic-in
many cases, light uniformity would drop below our safety standards. While
we like the low glare, reduced house-side lighting, and better appearance of
full cutoff lights, they are not always the safest solution for highway
lighting.
We would consider supporting legislation such as you propose, as long as it
does not limit our ability to choose the safest, most cost-effective highway
lighting systems for new installations and does not mandate the replacement
of existing systems......"
FYI, my observations are, in general, that with the exception of one bridge
lighting project, I can not detect any effort on the part of the State
towards horizontal cut off fixtures on roadways.
Legislation, of course, must come form my State Senator and Representative.
Here are their responses, which I would term to be more of a brush off than
anything.
>From my State Senator:
"...I agree that our night skies, especially in Alaska, are something to be
valued. I have a street light right outside my solarium at home which
blocks the beautiful night sky.....While our skies can not be reclaimed from
the streetlights with a snap of the finger it is an issue to be considered.
Streetlights are provided from federal funds, which make them a federal
requirement....I will forward this information to the Washington
Delegation."
>From my State Representative:
"...This is a problem that is certainly shared by many larger communities,
and presents government with a unique problem when it comes to determining
priorities. Because we are in a fiscal crisis in Alaska, the costs of
improvements of this type may be more than we can afford at this point.
However, I give you my word that we will investigate its possibility by
sending the information to....DOT to get their take on the overall cost to
the state.....Educating local government regarding you current lighting
concerns and showing alternatives that can gradually replace that lighting
at a lower cost will be critical to getting assistance on the local level.
If local governments have success with the program, I feel it might then
become something that the Department of Transportation would be interested
in proposing as they upgrade their lighting systems.
I will be in touch with you after receiving a response from the DOT......I
truly believe more can be done on the local level first...."
Any suggestions are comments would be welcomed.
By the way, as regards local interest, only one assembly/council person or
Mayor/Planning commission member has bothered to respond, after three months
passage of time. Mailings went to selected members of Two Boroughs (same as
a County) and three individual cities. This local mailing went to a total
of 14 individuals..... Looks like an uphill battle ; ).
Clear Dark Skies to All
------------------------
Tim "WindWalker" Crawford
Big Lake, AK
West Beaver lake Observatory
61 34 59.4N 149 50 25.8W
12" LX200 on Pier
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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 21:18:09 -0600
From: "Karolyn Beebe" <keedos@earthlink...>
Subject: Induction lamp info
In this Phillips site, select:
"Click here for more Induction Lighting information."
http://www.lighting.philips.com/nam/product_database/hid/displayhid.php?id=245
That arrived with the news -
> "The State Capitol just replaced the lights in the
> uppermost cupola with 85W induction bulbs to
> save energy and give better quality light." from
David Liebl. (co-author of Sensible Shoreland Lighting, linked in:
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/humanimpact/default.asp)
The cupola looks better tonight, less piercing.
Karolyn Beebe
Madison WI
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Message: 9
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 23:18:02 EST
From: ctstarwchr@aol...
Subject: Decorative Outdoor Street Lighting Product Analysis
Greetings:
Here is an interesting document written for Niagara Mohawk by Naomi Miller,
FIES, IALD, LC. She has earned her MS in Lighting from Rensselear's Lighting
Research Institute where she also serves as an instructor. She is the
founder and CEO of Naomi Miller Lighting Design in New York, and she has
received numerous awards over the years for her research and lighting
designs. I attended her IESNA Glare presentation in Connecticut last year
and it was excellent. She offers some very good advice and information about
the basics of good lighting design in this document.
DECORATIVE OUTDOOR STREET LIGHTING PRODUCT ANALYSIS
http://www.niagaramohawk.com/lighting/non_html/naomi.pdf
There is no question that many people believe that post top lighting adds
*daytime value* to an area, but the nighttime *value* is very questionable
unless the fixtures at least meet IES cutoff classification for their
vertical distribution of illumination. Even after meeting that remarkable
cutoff achievement, the off-axis glare that usually results from most post
top fixtures lamped with high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs serves more to
hamper visual acuity than it does to add value by improving safety or
security. Lighting uniformity suffers significantly with luminaires of this
type unless they have very well designed optical systems. In a very polite
and professional way, Ms. Miller offers this information to the reader also.
Although the majority of people striving to affect the reform of obtrusive
outdoor lighting dislike this kind of lighting very much, this document may
be able to help your town make a *better informed* decision, should they be
insistent when considering the installation of any architectural post top
fixtures reminiscent of the gas lighting days of yore. I hope it helps!
I found the comment about Gothic style luminaires amusing on page 11, because
it was always my impression that vandals only threw rocks at these lights
rather than firing missiles. What a novel idea!!! Does anybody in
Larchmont, NY have a bazzoka or a stack of Sidewinders Charles?? >:-)) All
kidding aside, this is one great document that is written in a manner that
most town officials will easily be able to understand. It is not choked with
technobabble and it gives the facts in a clear and succinct manner. Thanks
again Naomi !!
Clear skies and good seeing,
Keep looking up!
Cliff Haas
Chair Light Pollution Education
Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford
http://members.aol.com/copernicanview
Light Pollution Awareness Website (LiPAW)
http://members.aol.com/ctstarwchr/index.htm
Fight for your right to see stars in the night!
Join IDA Today! http://www.darksky.org
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 00:34:07 -0800
From: Paul Greenhalgh <fvas@shaw...>
Subject: Light Pollution isn't just about the Night Sky any more!
Cliff encouraged me to pass this letter along to you all, I wrote this
letter last night to the City Council of Abbotsford British Columbia Canada.
Just to clarify some of the things in the letter SE2 is a power plant
proposal that they are wanting to build about 2 miles away from the main
population of the city here. This is a huge upset to most residents, they
feel this will diminish the beauty of the Fraser Valley as well as create
large amounts of air pollution all in the name of hydro. The rest of the
letter I believe will speak for itself. I hope that some of this will be
useful to you or at least help you to formulate letters to your own local
governments and lighting engineers. At anyrate here is the letter in its
entirety.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Councillors and City Staff,
No response is necessary, just something to read, learn about, and consider
when new developments are being considered, you have the power to make a
difference!
Light Pollution isn't just about saving the Night Sky anymore!
In the beginning, the problems of light pollution were about losing the
Night Sky. (Quite honestly and for all intense and purposes this was for my
own selfish reasons, in the beginning! But that has since changed and
subsided to quite a degree.) As I researched this particular problem
further and more intensely, It has since become a concern about energy loss
and energy efficiency and what can be done about it and how can we save
money for the city itself, too be put to better uses. Yet, without losing
the need of a commonly perceived safer environment, and still reduce the
problem of Glare from poor lighting. By doing this we also reduce the
problem of air pollution a by-product of Light Pollution. (The More Light's?
The More Power Plants! The More Air pollution! It all goes hand in hand.
Prime example? SE2! need more be said?)
As knowledge is being gained and questions asked, it is growing into a far
greater problem than first thought! A collection of scientists will be
gathering at UCLA this month to discuss the problems and ramifications of
light pollution. http://www.urbanwildlands.org/program.html
The many problems they are talking about can be found here with regards to
wildlife, energy, floral and fauna. Along with some excerpts of their
research for you too read when time permits.
http://www.urbanwildlands.org/abstracts.html
Each year, it is estimated that over four million migrating birds are killed
in collisions with lighted communications towers in the United States alone!
What is it? With regards to tall buildings? I'd hate to try and comprehend!
But Michael Mesure of "Flap" has; http://www.flap.org/page1.htm thousands
of birds lost each year in Toronto. His pages document the bird kills each
year.
I know you have heard much about this topic of light pollution from myself
and I apologize for that, but it is now being realised that this is truly
becoming a big big problem not just for us, but for all species of life as
seen in the websites above. For humankind, one of the main concerns of
scientists is breast cancer in women caused by artificially generated
illumination. You can read more about this topic here:
http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/SearchablePages/2000Newsletters/Newsletter061A
.html Stray Light at night is not a woman's delight! (Nor is it for men
either, men can also suffer from breast cancer.) The blacker your bedroom
is, the better you will feel, you allow your body to heal, to do what it
needs to do to repair itself, but this requires complete darkness.
http://www.thedailycamera.com/science/science/13pssid.html Trust me! I said
nothing about this to my wife when I made our bedroom as dark as I could,
and she responded about a week later with no prompting from myself that she
feels so much better as of late. Feeling completely refreshed and raring to
go!. And that's the way it is supposed to be! "Blacken that Bedroom" can be
found here http://www.fvas.net/blacken.html telling the full story.
I think it would be wise of us, to take into account, GOOD lighting
practices with regards to new roadway's, new subdivisions, new buildings,
parking lots, business signage, retro fitting old streetlights with new FCO
street lights as they come into need of repair and become good stewards of
our present surroundings. A good slide show which talks about good and bad
lighting can be found here at
http://www.scn.org/darksky/slideshow/sld001.htm
Fred Gledhill and Ed Regts are doing just that by researching FCO
streetlights by testing them on Dalstrom Road and I applaud and respect them
for this effort! I am confident that Fred's expertise will find a way to put
the light down onto the ground and reduce the amount of energy needed, yet
yield the desired affect as well as reduce the glare from drivers night time
vision. Sky Glow is a huge indicator of money being wasted.
It is now a standard operational procedure in the air transport industry
here in Canada that all jetliners must leave their landing lights on until
reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet, as an anti-collision safety measure.
Why? Because Descending aircraft have substantial difficulty seeing aircraft
that are leaving the ground. Cause? Light Pollution from the ground.
Abbotsford Airport in this regard is using FCO streetlights in and around
the airport because of their non-up-lighting design. The city would do well
in participating in reducing its over-all sky glow and in doing so support
the efforts of the airline industry.
In Closing;
I urge you and the city planning department to take the initiative and take
into consideration good lighting practices from this point forward with
regards to new developments of all kinds as well as new business
developments. That all lighting should be brought down to the ground where
it is needed and in some area's not left on all night long, a prime example
of this being the parking lot at Costco! (Who's out there shopping at 3
a.m?) There is absolutely no need for this and it should be discouraged by
the city. If it is a crime concern, consider this, it is far easier to see
vandal's with flashlights or car headlights of vandals than it is to see
them in a highly lit setting, we tend to think of them as belonging there,
when in truth they do not!
Bring the lights down, level them, shield them, you will find that you are
not compromising safety or security, rather you are enhancing it! The human
eye is a remarkable piece of equipment, when you allow it to work as it was
intended to work!
Clear Skies!
_________________________________________
Paul Greenhalgh (Director)
Fraser Valley Astronomers Society
British Columbia Canada
http://www.fvas.net
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