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[OL-Forum] Digest Number 856
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There are 5 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Moonlight and beetles
From: "John M. McMahon" <mcmahon@mail....edu>
2. Great American Shootout?
From: "Roger L. Hammer" <hamme1rl@cmich...>
3. Re: Mandating "level"
From: "David M. Keith" <david.keith@mindspring...>
4. Re: Mandating "level"
From: patric@ghostriders...
5. A Statement on IDA's Mission and Philosophy (fwd)
From: kgfleming@att...
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 09:17:24 -0400
From: "John M. McMahon" <mcmahon@mail....edu>
Subject: Moonlight and beetles
"Dung Beetles Navigate by the Moon, Study Says"
Excerpts:
"Out on the African savanna, a fresh and moist pile of
fine-grained antelope dung is a nutritious treasure
aggressively fought over by a melee of critters. The spoils
go to those with the craftiest strategies to snatch and
stash a piece of the pie. To gain an edge in this battle
for the poop, the African dung beetle Scarabaeus zambesianus
orients itself by the polarized light pattern cast by the
moon to make a straight, nighttime escape with its morsel,
according to Marie Dacke, a biologist at the University of
Lund in Sweden."
[snip]
"To find out if the beetles are able to use the polarized
light of the moon to navigate, Dacke and her colleagues
observed the beetles under the night sky. On nights when
there was a moon, the beetles continued to forage and roll
their dung balls in a straight line. On moonless or cloudy
nights the beetles could not maintain a straight path.
To determine if this continued ability to forage after
astronomical twilight is a result of the polarization of
moonlight or of the moon itself, the researchers placed a
polarizing light filter over a ball-rolling beetle feeding
inside a ten-foot (three-meter) diameter arena.
When the researchers changed the pattern of polarized
moonlight by 90 degrees, the beetles changed course by 90
degrees. The results indicate that indeed the beetles are
using the polarized light of the moon to navigate, which
extends their foraging time."
Full story:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/0702_030702_dungbeetle.html
John McMahon
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 09:54:09 -0400
From: "Roger L. Hammer" <hamme1rl@cmich...>
Subject: Great American Shootout?
I really appreciated the David Orr excerpts posted by John. Although I
believe we are making progress, I don't think we have yet turned the corner
and are now installing more good lights than bad. I believe history in
democratic societies has shown that the fastest, perhaps most effective way
to force change past those "for whom the economy is far more important than
the
environment", is civil disobedience. Although I don't support violence or
terrorism in any form, I do wonder what would happen if the radical
EarthFirst group sponsored a nationwide "Great American Shootout Week" of
offending light fixtures to accompany the "Dark-Sky Week" sponsored by IDA?
>We bent over
> backward to accommodate the style and intellectual
> predilections of self-described 'conservatives' and those
> for whom the economy is far more important than the
> environment, in the belief that politeness and good evidence
> stated in their terms would win the day. Accordingly, we put
> the case for the earth and coming generations in the
> language of economics, science, and law. With remarkably few
> exceptions we have been reasonable, erudite, clever,
> cautiously informative, and -- relative to the magnitude of
> the challenges before us -- ineffective.
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 10:33:12 -0600
From: "David M. Keith" <david.keith@mindspring...>
Subject: Re: Mandating "level"
> .. disable the light if the angle were not
> within 1deg of level. Then you have no choice but the install it
> correctly.
This presupposes that level is the proper installation - which it is
mostly - but NOT ALWAYS!
Of course with such a switch everyone would be required to do it one way
regardless of if that were the desired (for example "least trespass" or
"most dark-sky friendly") condition e.g. a moderately sloped parking lot
with a residence at the low end.
Rigid rules and limits create their own problems - known as "unintended
consequences" and as universal as Murphy's Law. This of course does not keep
folks who "know better" from trying to force everyone to do the "sometimes
wrong" thing all the time.
David Keith
Remember - only you can prevent stupidity!
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Message: 4
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 12:47:49 -0700
From: patric@ghostriders...
Subject: Re: Mandating "level"
David M. Keith wrote:
> This presupposes that level is the proper installation - which it is
> mostly - but NOT ALWAYS!
I would hope that any ordinance worth it's salt would set it's goals on
performance outcome, rather than blind adherence to a specific technique
or piece of hardware regardless of the outcome (and yes, I understand
Davids point about the need to look at the "system" and not focus solely
on a component).
There's going to be ample instances where installation of a stock,
flat-lens Full Cutoff Optic wont meet goals of trespass or glare
abatement without some tweaking, or careful modification of a fixture
with different optics (and a law that just says "FCO or no" will have
disappointing results).
What an "operates at level only" shielded fixture might accomplish would
be more along the lines of preventing someone from, say, mounting a
GlareBuster at 90 degrees and then claiming it's crap (or that the mere
use of a FCO satisfies the law so a blinded neighbor next door cant
complain).
Also, the proliferation of such leveling interlocks might help to modify
the habits of consumer-installers, electricians and maybe an architect
or two, by not allowing a bad installation of what could be a good
fixture.
Also, such an interlocked fixture might end up someday being legally
easier to install if a foolproof design were not subject to permit and
inspection processes that floodlights eventually should face.
Patric.
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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 19:57:17 +0000
From: kgfleming@att...
Subject: A Statement on IDA's Mission and Philosophy (fwd)
FYI -
I received this earlier today and assume it's for distribution. It appears to
be a re-release of a statement distributed here a few months ago, with a few
updates.
Kevin
---------------------- Forwarded Message: ---------------------
From: David Crawford <crawford@darksky...>
To: idasony@aol...
Subject: A Statement on IDA's Mission and Philosophy
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 11:08:03 -0700
A Statement on IDA's Mission and Philosophy
By Dave Crawford, for IDA.
July 2003
We get questions about IDA, its mission, its goals, and its philosophy,
what we believe and what we are working for, what we can realistically do?
Here is a general answer to those questions.
The IDA Bylaws say that IDA's Objectives are to give service to the public
and to astronomy via scientific research, education, and public information
concerning the issue of light pollution. Service to membership via
collection of information, distribution of information, education on all
aspects of the light pollution issue and related topics [to include the
impacts on astronomy of radio interference and of space debris], assistance
with member's local problems by sharing common knowledge on a local,
national, and international basis.
Many of our documents say: IDA's Goal: To preserve and protect the
nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality
outdoor lighting. Through educating everyone, everywhere about the value of
dark skies and quality nighttime lighting.
Info sheet 14, "About IDA," says: Established in 1988, IDA strives to be
effective in halting the adverse environmental impact of light pollution on
the nighttime environment by providing education on the value and
effectiveness of quality outdoor lighting.
The Summary of the Issues on the information sheet says:
Quality nighttime lighting is the key to reducing light pollution. It
means better visibility at night, freedom from glare, an improved and
comfortable nighttime ambiance, and very significant energy
savings. Everyone wins.
Most existing astronomical observatories suffer from light pollution, radio
interference, or the effects of space debris. Amateurs and professionals
alike are adversely affected by these environmental obstacles, which are
still increasing rapidly at most locales.
The profoundly human experience of the inspiring beauty of the night sky is
at risk for all people, not just scientists, as light pollution destroys
our view of the cosmos.
IDA is a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt, non profit organization, with formal bylaws,
incorporated in 1988.
I often use some "sound bytes" to spell out our mission:
There is great value to both dark skies and good night lighting.
Make allies, not enemies. We are not "at war" with anyone Teamwork counts.
We will get there one step at a time. We are in this for the long haul.
We can all win.
Educate everyone, everywhere. Recognize that education takes time and
never ends.
Think global, act local.
With all that in mind, it is clear that the IESNA, NEMA, and other
organizations are potential strong allies in our mission. They must be,
and they are well on that route due to a lot of personal involvement by
those of us who spend the time to show up at their meetings. A wide range
of individuals from many types of organizations are now coming to our
meetings as well. We want to work with all such interested organizations.
If we don't like their recommended practices, we should work with them (not
against them) to get them changed. If we are right about our views, these
practices should be changeable once the value of the change is
understood. Indeed, even though change in the IESNA has always taken a
long time it seems, in this area it is changing rapidly. Same with
lighting companies. Most manufacturers now have some very good fully
shielded fixtures in their catalogs. They market them heavily, now even
using the dark sky issue as a marketing tool.
Likewise, we will continue to work with those who have been promoting
lighting ordinances: all of these are well meaning but some are not good
ordinances, in clarity, simplicity, or technically. The bad ordinances can
do more harm than good. Of course, there are good ones too, and we have
used these as examples many times, including in our current MLO work.
We must all educate ourselves as much as we can on good lighting and its
value. It is more than just "Use full cut off for everything." No matter
that we want simple answers, outdoor lighting is a very complex subject. I
learn new things every day.
I do not think IDA has or is ever going to compromise our mission as stated
above. That mission is not just dark skies, but it always includes dark
skies. We are moving the IESNA, the CIE, and others, into that
mission. That will include improving their business and their profits, as
they are making better products that should be good for both new markets
and the potential huge retrofit market.
I don't see that we are "compromising". Are not our goals really the
same? To educate about good lighting, to support the needed basic
research, and to apply such knowledge in the field. They have done what
they can when they can (not always perfectly, of course; we are not perfect
either), but they are actively moving along that path. Same as us. Same
mission. Some of them have misconceptions about us (getting rid of all the
lights, telling everybody to ignore the IESNA and its RP's, that we think
all lighting people are idiots, etc), and many of us about them (only
interested in promoting the sale and use of any kind of lighting, that they
think any light, even glare, is good, etc).
Codes are happening, of all varieties. We have an active (to say the
least) conversation going on about an IDA model lighting ordinance (MLO),
and we have an excellent Outdoor Lighting Code Handbook already on the web
site. Such dialogs, when they do not become invective, are healthy to
progress, and we value them.
As to the upcoming MLO, I think the IDA MLO will meet IDA goals. It can be
done. It will be. If it doesn't meat our needs, it will not be an IDA
MLO. It will be a dynamic document, as most codes are, changing as we
learn more, as technology changes, and for other reasons. This is one of
the very few issues in life where we all can win.
Unfortunately, we also get many questions about the motives and the
abilities of some of the activists in the light pollution control
efforts. Some of these activists are not IDA members, nor could they ever
be. A few seem to want to fight more than to make progress, clearly not
followers of the IDA mission philosophy. We try to answer those questions
too, for we can easily see and indeed share their frustrations with the
current and past state of some outdoor lighting practice. Still, two
wrongs do not make a right. We try to educate everyone as to the value of
the night environment and of good outdoor lighting.
Some of these questions have to do with list servers, and other things that
look a bit like IDA sponsored things. They are not. They include many
good things, of course, but also some things that we do not condone at
all. That seems to be the nature of free speech everywhere. Official IDA
statements come from the IDA Headquarters and its newsletter and other
materials, such as this one.
To summarize:
IDA is not going in a new or different direction. We are on the same path
we have always been on, as described above.
The MLO will reflect these goals and offer solutions to help many people
and organizations. It will do so, or it will not become an IDA model. A
tough job, but it can be done. We will take the time necessary to insure
that it does.
Neither I, nor IDA are abandoning any of our principles, nor will we
ever. IDA is on the same mission it always has been. The Board agrees so
far as I can tell.
I agree with much of the pro bono work that Jim is doing on the MLO. With
the time he has, I think he has done a wonderful job in spite of the all
the critiques he has gotten (and IDA too). We are not there yet by a long
shot, but we have raised a lot of dust and are making progress. I much
appreciate our members' past efforts in so many ways. We could not be
where we are without the input. I hope it will continue.
I would much rather see constructive, detailed input about the MLO, such as
we get from some, rather than general input that seems only to say: "I
don't like it." Values for the tables, and why, for example.
There are so many things for IDA to do, and people make great suggestions
of what IDA should do. Almost always these are already on our lists. As I
have said many times, I think it is remarkable that so much has been done
by so few with so little to work with.
We do what we can. There is a nearly infinite amount more to do. We do
not tell people what to do, but only try to educate them about what to do,
mostly in general, as we have little or no time to get involved in local
issues on a specific basis, with rare exceptions. By focusing on the
overall issues, we hope locals everywhere, not just in a couple of places,
will have what they need to make local progress. We want to make lasting
progress everywhere, and we are working as hard on it as we can.
Hang in there, please, everyone. We are in this for the long haul. We
will all win.
Dave Crawford
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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