[OL-Forum] Digest Number 1454

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There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Re: Re:  'Tis the season: convenience store chic
           From: "John  McMahon" <mcmahon@lemoyne...>
      2. Light at night and breast cancer
           From: "Barry Clark" <bajc@alphalink....au>


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Message: 1         
   Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 07:02:24 -0500
   From: "John  McMahon" <mcmahon@lemoyne...>
Subject: Re: Re:  'Tis the season: convenience store chic

callisto@optonline... 12/20/05 10:40 PM:

>>> While I have a remarkably high tolerance for (temporary) holiday lighting, I 
wonder how many others like me scratched their heads when they recieved the 
file of that house that has 25,000 lights flashing in sync to a musical 
soundtrack. The answers to your questions and mine are provided in this link to an 
article about the display:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005512050331 <<<

I'd almost (note: "almost") be forgiving of the excess if that is really a peace symbol appearing in the photo just to right of Sherry.

But maybe it's not ... wouldn't want to invite the securocrats at the NSA to monitor such dangerous displays of political non-conformity, right? :-)

And check out Planet Christmas Corporation cited in the item:

http://www.PlanetChristmas.com/

JMM



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Message: 2         
   Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 19:36:15 +1100
   From: "Barry Clark" <bajc@alphalink....au>
Subject: Light at night and breast cancer

Here is the URL for the 26 Powerpoint slides of a 21 June 2005 presentation on
'Light pollution as a risk factor for breast cancer: a GIS-assisted case study':
www.israelrsa.org.il/meeting/Cancer%20incidence.ppt

As I did in 'Outdoor lighting and crime, Part 2', the authors used the 1996-97 DSMP data on artificial light from cities and towns to study the variable(s) of interest, in their case the incidence of breast cancer from 1998 to 2001 in areas of Israel.  They also used ground-level photometric data to study breast cancer incidence at higher spatial resolution in residential neighbourhoods, and a questionnaire survey to reach detail as fine as lighting conditions in individual bedrooms.

A positive association was found between night light intensity measured by satellite and breast cancer rates in towns.

Abnormally high cancer rates were found along the 'seam lines' where extensive intense security lighting is in use.  Abnormally low cancer incidence rates were found in low-income areas where outdoor and indoor artificial illumination is dimmer than elsewhere for economic reasons.  For these two groups combined, the rate of breast cancer incidence was highly correlated with in-situ measures of illuminance at night.

In the anonymous questionnaire study, breast cancer incidence was greater in residences close to shopping centres and cultural centres (presumably connected with the bright outdoor lighting at these places), and in residences where there was exposure to light through the bedroom window at night.

All of the results mentioned have statistical reliability.  The conclusions are:
  a.. "The survey thus reveals a strong association between the exposure to high nightlight intensity and the incidence of breast cancer.
  b.. We thus suggest that municipalities should adopt a smart policy of illumination.  Such a policy should reduce illumination when and where not absolutely necessary, to both save energy (and money) and prevent excessive light pollution which appears to be a general environmental hazard to human health."
The above material is being incorporated in my revision of 'Outdoor lighting for Australia in the 21st century', along with much other supporting material that makes the case for mandatory containment of lighting excesses even stronger.

Now, perhaps, a really useful Model Lighting Ordinance can be prepared, with caps on mean lumens per person as one of its principal features.

I would be grateful for any information about the (RSAI?) conference where the lecture was presented and any publication details of the proceedings or a journal paper. 

Barry Clark

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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