German users: Petition against light pollution in Germany

[Adirondack]

http://itc.napier.ac.uk/e-Petition/bundestag/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=565 <- German speaking page of the Bundestag

Adirondack

[Andy74]

Signed.

[BobHegwood]

Ulrich,

Could you enlighten us poor non-German-speaking slobs as to what
all the fuss is about?

I realize that I could use Babelfish to translate the page, but I'm a
lazy frell so I just thought maybe you could - again - "Enlighten" us
poor English speaking slobs.

Thanks, Brain-Dead

[LordFerret]

LIGHTS OUT!

[Hungry4info]

I signed it. I don't know how much the opinion of an American counts, but still.

[Adirondack]

Could you enlighten us poor non-German-speaking slobs as to what all the fuss is about?

Bob,

with the petition, a law should be created to the protection of the environment and the climate-protection against light-contamination.

Reason:
More and more bright light, emitted by streetlighting, buildings, light-advertisement and intense focused headlights (Sky-Beamer) e.g. by discotheques or other facilities is contaminating the night sky. There must also be a corresponding law in Germany.

The light-smog should be reduced so that there is a better gaze for the firmament again just as the environment, especially birds and night-active animals become protected. Among other things, this law should still save energy also as climate-precaution. Slovenia has (as chief EC country) decided such a law against the light-contamination on August 30, 2007. Also the Bundestag might decide, that such a law is created in Germany.

Adirondack

[BobHegwood]

Hey, thanks very much for the explanation. If any country in the
world does this though, it's got to be the good old USA...

As far as I know there are NO plans for such protection here , or even
the mention of such a thing. Since we consume more of the world's
resources than anyone else, you'd think that such an idea might be
a priority here too wouldn't you?

Thanks, energy-spoiled, Brain-Dead Bob

[LordFerret]

The problem here though, as per the statistics, is that when the lights go out (streetlights) the crime goes up.

Lights out in Las Vegas? New York City??

[Adirondack]

The problem here though, as per the statistics, is that when the lights go out (streetlights) the crime goes up.

Dear Lord,

this acceptance is evidently wrong!
Try shooting somebody in the dark or on a bright street...
BTW: We are not talking about switching off the streetlights
but using better lamps which do not radiate into the sky.


Adirondack

[t00fri]

The problem here though, as per the statistics, is that when the lights go out (streetlights) the crime goes up.

Lights out in Las Vegas? New York City??

There have been repeatedly identical campaigns in the US over the last 20 years, as I remember well from corresponding reports in Sky&Telescope.

Result: nil...

Probably, a much higher probablility for success would be associated with pleas for monochromatic streetlights, as one finds in many vapor lamps (emission is dominated by a single spectral line, e.g. Na, Hg vapor) . I guess the yellow-orange Na vapor street lights have been quite popular in the US for many years.

--------------------------------------------
Such monochromatic light can be VERY efficiently filtered out at the telescope's eyepiece as every (amateur) astronomer knows VERY well. The corresponding filters cost only a moderate amount (~40$ depending on their diameter)
--------------------------------------------

Bye Fridger

[Hungry4info]

Such monochromatic light can be VERY efficiently filtered out at the telescope's eyepiece as every (amateur) astronomer knows VERY well.

No, I'm afraid I didn't know that. Haha what's below amateur?

[t00fri]

Such monochromatic light can be VERY efficiently filtered out at the telescope's eyepiece as every (amateur) astronomer knows VERY well.

No, I'm afraid I didn't know that. Haha what's below amateur?

Well...if you are not practicing astronomy ...

Anyhow, these filters are high-performance, dielectric, narrow-band filters great for VISUAL observation of all nebulae types and for all instrument sizes (mounted at the eyepiece). They are designed to almost completely block the standard emission lines of vapor lights etc.

See e.g.
http://televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=216

Bye Fridger

[Fenerit]

The problem here though, as per the statistics, is that when the lights go out (streetlights) the crime goes up.

Dear Lord,

this acceptance is evidently wrong!
Try shooting somebody in the dark or on a bright street...
BTW: We are not talking about switching off the streetlights
but using better lamps which do not radiate into the sky.


Adirondack

I agree with Adirondack even for another question: in the dark could be there a crime against the criminal...

[LordFerret]

Ummm... first..... I much prefer "Ferret" to "Lord"..... it is what all my friends refer to me by.

I'm not exactly familiar with the lighting technology that Adirondack and Fridger refer to, though I am aware there are these days more economical alternatives that exist. I think however the issue with using these more efficient and environment friendly alternatives, still boils down to cost... cost of installation due to the labor involved. That, I find highly likely in what Fridger mentions in the failure of the petitions of change he notes...

There have been repeatedly identical campaigns in the US over the last 20 years, as I remember well from corresponding reports in Sky&Telescope.

Result: nil...

The phasing-out of old lighting technologies could be an option, or so you would think... but I've seen many an occasion even in the town where I live, where new lights were installed to replace burnt-out lights, and the difference in color and illumination level had residents complaining - enough to where old-style bulbs were again put in as replacement.