6th European Dark-Skies Symposium.

This was mentioned here before but the cfds website is now updated with all the info. I'll probably head over.

Welcome to the Campaign for Dark Skies website for the 6th European Dark-Skies Symposium.

The aim of the 2-day symposium is to advise planners and other decision-makers, and those who make, choose and install lighting, about the legal and moral issues surrounding light pollution. It is not our intention to ban lighting, but to ensure that where outdoor lighting is required, it is designed and installed correctly and within legal guidelines, thereby causing little or no nuisance and reducing energy costs.

Within the 2-day programme, experts explain and discuss the issues surrounding light pollution. The first day of the symposium will feature the mechanisms of light pollution, and its technical, social and environmental aspects. The first day has a bias towards the reqirements of designers and planners and in particular, the legal aspects, and the second day with the bias on the astronomical side of the problem - astro-photographers and astronomers will be among those explaining the work they do, and the difficulties they face due to poorly designed lighting.

www.britastro.org/dark-skies/cfds2006

Has anyone noticed how many new government funded projects are heavily floodlit in Ireland.

Cork Institute of Technology has recently opened an extention complete with blazing floodlights.(Shining onto plain brick walls mostly).

The University of Limerick is ablaze with floodlights. The streetlights on the Campus are unbaffled spheres which make no attempt to direct light where it is needed.

Ancient Irish monuments in the heart of the country are not "right " nowadays without "Duchas",the Irish Heritage Service, surrounding them with rings of blazing lights shining all night long.

(Sad to see the "Mourne Abbey" Round Tower in rural North Cork,and so many others,desecrated by this showy circus. I am not sure if they have floodlit the Skelligs Islands yet but I wouldn't be surprised.)

The Department of the Environment in Dublin is ablaze with floodlights even as it lectures all of us about how to save energy.

When the educated elite behave like this what hope is there for the rest of us.

Peter,
they key to the general public getting involved in this problem, be it for astronomical or environmental reasons, is to complain. I don't mean to sound like a smart ass, but if it bothers you, don't simply 'give out' about it to others - write a complaint to the Environment section of your local County Council; write letters to your local council/parliament members; write letters to your local papers. There is no shame in putting your name to such a letter, and you have nothing to loose.

And I'll bet, for the most part, people would think like you - especially those that would live nearby such horribly-lit structures (the excess light is horrible, not the structures themselves! )

Part of the aim of the CfDS is to make people aware of what goes around them when it is dark - the stars shine, the nocturnals come out (animals, that is ), and energy is saved.

Seanie.

When I suggested that proper lighting saves energy I was answered with empty platitudes such as the following from Sustainable Energy Ireland:

Hi Peter,

Thank you for taking the time to email us.

To aid your energy efficient efforts, you may wish to check out the
website www.sei.ie (Sustainable Energy Ireland is Ireland's national
energy agency who aim to promote and assist the development of
sustainable energy) which is a useful source of information on energy
efficiency news, tips, events, available grants etc.

Kind regards,

Edel

(Maybe if enough people emailed them they might take notice.)

When I suggested that proper lighting saves energy I was answered with empty platitudes such as the following from Sustainable Energy Ireland:

Hi Peter,

Thank you for taking the time to email us.

To aid your energy efficient efforts, you may wish to check out the
website www.sei.ie (Sustainable Energy Ireland is Ireland's national
energy agency who aim to promote and assist the development of
sustainable energy) which is a useful source of information on energy
efficiency news, tips, events, available grants etc.

Kind regards,

Edel

(Maybe if enough people emailed them they might take notice.)

That looks liek an automated response to me. I doubt a single human being has even read it. I HATE organisations that do that, so insulting to people.

That's a pretty lame response from them Peter. E-mail them again... and again... and again! I'm serious!