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What we really need to be doing is to reduce the light polution from all our towns and cities. The effects of which are not limited to astronomy. If we reduce and control the light we are letting into the environment we will also make the night a better and safer place for wild life. A holiday to Bargara near Bundaberg with my family showed one of the other problems when turtle hatchlings headed inland instead of to the ocean. (My young children had a magic morning collecting the baby turtles in buckets and taking them to the ocean. The occurrence was reported to national parks.) Many other animals are affected by our wasted light.
The reduction in stray light also helps with human sleep disorders and the reduces the energy we are using, especially the dirty energy production prevalent in this country.
Our goal should be to pressure authorities to choose the best directional and minimal lighting options that can be used in a situation. I have run out the front of my house to make sure that the truck working on the pole was not fitting lights.
The petition that is also floating around this forum is a good way to start with trying keep our skies dark.
Sorry for the rant but this subject is one I feel strongly about.
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