Ideas?

Hi,

Since we only will have a relativly short time to work things out at whirlpool, I'd like to get any ideas people have about what ILPAC should be doing. So throw out any ideas you have here!

So far there are only 12 people on the ILPAC list, and only a few of those are active, so we will be limited in what we can do unless numbers increase (HINT HINT!).

Cheers,
~Al

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ILPAC

Albert,
I don't know if these suggestions are a bit obvious or of any use or if someone else has suggested them already but here goes:

1) Try to see what other similar organisations are doing in other countries. I know there was an eastern european country and a couple of US states that have passed laws about a year ago which were considered a major step forward in the fight against light pollution. May be worth examining these laws, examine in detail the regulations they have in common and how they could be adopted/modified for an irish context.

2) There's bound to be other environmental groups such as residents associations, ornithologists, or other small interest groups, which, or their own don't have a hugh voice. May be worth developing a relationship with these interest groups and in certain circumstances try to approach the problem in a more united front. (Aside: I read on the paper a few months ago where scientists have now confirmed that the more light that one is exposed to during their sleep the greater the risk of cancer.)

3) Most development these days consists of large construction firms building more and more industrial and housing estates. Like alot of other things in Ireland, a small few companies are producing the majority of the work. If, say, the top 5 house construction companies could be approached and informed of the consequences of bad lighting design, it may go along way. As a civil engineer myself involved in the road design business, all new roads that I have come across under design in the last few years have a lighting design which requires, as part of the contract, the use of full cut-off lighting. Practice is also to use it to a minimum - typically used only at junctions for purposes of safety.

4) Local authoritiy planning departments can impose restrictions on lighting design as part of any new development submitted for planning approval. May be worth informing them of the biological and recreational effects light pollution has on wildlife and society. This may encourage them to impose tighter restrictions on future developments and try and stamp out alot of the architectural-type lighting design - lights pointed upwards into the sky.

Anyway, that's a few of my ideas. there's bound to be tons more.
Sorry for the long-winded message.
Michael
BTW, hope I'm not asking a silly question, where does one sign up for the ILPAC list?

Albert,
I don't know if these suggestions are a bit obvious or of any use or if someone else has suggested them already but here goes:

Thanks for those, we've dont a little in some of the areas you mention. We have applied to be a section of the International Dark Sky association, but dont have any close ties with groups in other countries yet. Weve tried to get environmental groups on board, Colm O'Brien, the chairman, is an active member of the East Clare Greens, and is working on getting bird watching groups and others like An Taisce behind us. Nothing yet done on talking to architects or developers. As for councils were trying to lodge submissions for their development plans where we can (Clare Co. Co. has one lodged, Im working on the Dun Laoghaire Rathdowne one) but thats all so far, and no contact yet with the dept. of the Envirnment.

[qute]BTW, hope I'm not asking a silly question, where does one sign up for the ILPAC list?[/quote]

groups.yahoo.com/groups/ilpac is the discussion list. Hopefully we'll move it here eventually.

Cheers,
~Al

Greetings,
As regards light pollution in Ireland the only way to get total control is through government legislation. Hovever, perhaps a partial solution might be achieved.Birr science centre is perhaps becoming something of a Mecca for amateur astronomers, so if strict light control measurers could be enforced, say over a 50 mile radius from Birr then all amateurs could benefit from truly dark skies, and the influx from" astronomical tourism" would also benefit the wider community. This would , no doubt be supported by professional astronomers also, and would be an achievable objective, rather than working towards a total countrywide control.

Best Regards,
Jimmy

Hi,

We will be working on some sort of submission for government in the next few months, but for the moment we are still on a learning curve to seewhat the issues are so we can make a sensibe proposal.

As for Birr, Dave Gradwell also wanted to make Birr Irelands Dark Sky town, not sure if he had had a chance to any work on that Idea.

Cheers,
~Al

Hey Al,
How about a dark-sky survey? I have a sheet showing Ursa Minor that I use to estimate the transparency / darkness of the site I'm observing at. It show all the stars in the constellation down to sixth mag so I check off the ones I can't see. It has allowed me to work out the limiting mag of various sites - my backyard is 3.5 while my favoured site in the Slieve Bloom mountains is 5.5. It's an idea I nicked from Phil Harrington.

How about asking for limiting magnitude estimates from the whole island? We could make a graph of where's dark and where's not.

Although considering the apathy and selfishness of the average amateur ...

Shane