Please sign this light pollution petition

[multiweb (Marc)]

I reckon we should have a 'light' tax. And you get 'light' credits if you use candles at home.
Seriously that won't go away unless penalties or money are involved.

Residential area don't seem to account for much of LP compared to Industrial zoning, in the west anyway. If you jack power pricing right up the cost will be passed to the consumers in the end so that wouldn't work at all.
I don't know of any pollie who would have the balls to pass a legislation to switch the lights off or 90% of them in non critical areas such as industrial areas at night but that's where it would/should start.

Maybe financial incentive to turn them off? Tax cuts? I'm dreaming aloud here.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Yes an unfortunate slow growth in the light use causes people to be unaware of the real effect. If something like this happened quickly, there would be numerous more complaints.

I shared the link on my Google Community for Astro-photography, received a couple of likes.

Originally Posted by MLParkinson

Thanks to all of those people who have taken their time to sign the petition. It is reassuring to know that a large fraction of the IceInSpace community actually cares about the issue – well, at least enough to sign a form anyway. But will anyone do anything more than that? I have spoken to many astronomers over the years about light pollution and it saddens me deeply when I discover that many of them are comfortable with the exponential growth in the use of the electric light bulb. I guess at the end of the day they are more concerned with their own social status and fear of the dark than preservation of the natural world. Changing that aspect of human culture is at the heart of the problem. How can we create a culture whereby people gain a sense of status by eliminating artificial light, rather than buying it at ever-increasing levels of intensity? Use of the electric light bulb has gone far beyond just eliminating fear of the dark - it has become largely a way of asserting affluence and status.

[MLParkinson (Murray)]

Marc, sincerely, these are terrific ideas and very realistic and achievable. We shouldn't be defeatist and assume our politicians will fail us, because many of them are very sincere genuine people who want to make a difference (I suspect that everyone will criticize me for that one). According to the IDA website, France has been introducing light pollution laws, including a requirement for all businesses to switch off their lights when they shut up shop. That sounds like very sensible legislation to me. My impression is that Australia, as usual, is 10-20 years behind Europe and USA on this issue. We mustn't give up. The world can change for the better. Solving the problem of light pollution is largely just a matter of persistent public education. When everyone understands the issues clearly, they will want light pollution laws and taxes, just like they want to save trees, dolphins and whales. I firmly believe that the common person wants to see the Milky Way, or at least know it is there to be seen.

Originally Posted by multiweb

I reckon we should have a 'light' tax. And you get 'light' credits if you use candles at home.
Seriously that won't go away unless penalties or money are involved.

Residential area don't seem to account for much of LP compared to Industrial zoning, in the west anyway. If you jack power pricing right up the cost will be passed to the consumers in the end so that wouldn't work at all.
I don't know of any pollie who would have the balls to pass a legislation to switch the lights off or 90% of them in non critical areas such as industrial areas at night but that's where it would/should start.

Maybe financial incentive to turn them off? Tax cuts? I'm dreaming aloud here.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Originally Posted by MLParkinson

According to the IDA website, France has been introducing light pollution laws, including a requirement for all businesses to switch off their lights when they shut up shop. That sounds like very sensible legislation to me. My impression is that Australia, as usual, is 10-20 years behind Europe and USA on this issue.

I think Earth Watch was one of the programs that tried the 1 day no lights blah blah, but unfortunately some of the business people objected to this because of potential theft issues. There are a lot of for and against issues regarding light remaining on but the most business favours lights on to regulate against theft at night.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Not defeatist, just realistic. I mean we're really a minority. What are the odds? Any change will be driven by the majority and economics. I realise that they might have passed laws overseas and you feel we're behind but you have to realise that the situation there is very different from here. You'd be hard pressed to find a dark patch under their skies. Electricity prices in France are also skyhigh so the motivation might be to save a buck or two as well and I suspect that's the real drive.

We still have very dark quality skies downunder. We just have to go a little further. I'm all for change and a firm believer that there isn't much to do to achieve a reasonable result or compromise in industrial parks but that'd be a hell of a lot of lobbying with local councils to get them to turn the lights off. Where do we start? Do you think a petition is going to make any difference? Somebody mentioned earlier that even registered clubs/organisation don't add much weight to the argument.

[GraemeT (Graeme)]

I was more than happy to sign up, but quite unprepared for the spate of emails from change.org wanting me to sign multiple other petitions!

[MLParkinson (Murray)]

All we need is 8 more people to sign the petition. Surely there are 8 more people prepared to sign it? I guess it could all be a waste of time.

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

In the words of the band Redgum "If you don"t fight you lose"
I will promote this to our club.
We were successful in limiting the light pollution from a large development here in the NT.
YOU can make a difference !!!

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by GraemeT

I was more than happy to sign up, but quite unprepared for the spate of emails from change.org wanting me to sign multiple other petitions!

yep i agree - i have now blocked the site - the only thing i could do

[solissydney (Ken)]

So where is the proof that Premier Barry O'Farrell "Require councils implement outdoor lighting regulations" ???

Ken
SOLIS

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

The petition is to encourage the action as it is not taking place. The Premier is not making this action.

NSW is a different situation, there is a current action being undertaken to reduce carbon footprint but may not provide action of light pollution.

Originally Posted by solissydney

So where is the proof that Premier Barry O'Farrell "Require councils implement outdoor lighting regulations" ???

Ken
SOLIS

[bigjoe (JOSEPH)]

Done also, and gladly.

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Well done Murray on getting your 100 signatures !

[mozzie (Peter)]

steve is a grafton boy and when i was a member there of the astro club he was quit adament of light pollution and giving grafton council lots of facts...he e-mailed me a few weeks back to sign this petition and it was apleasure to do so..seems to be a passion of his and knowing steve he will not give up on this..
and yes i to also blocked this site with a heap of pesty e-mails..i think he is also a member here...

Originally Posted by MLParkinson

Does anyone know Steve Fletcher? I think he is the guy who created the petition. I hope we are not wasting our time.

[mozzie (Peter)]

just checked in the community and he is active no posts but was on earlier this year...if you wanted to contact him to find out more on this subject pm him at steve fletcher..

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

This thread I have started might be of interest to those of you passionate about the fight against light pollution.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=111423