Moving to the dark side - IT article today

Hi,

Good article in the IT today.

www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sciencetoda...0/1224324195462.html

It's been delayed and changed a couple of times but finally made it to print!

Great news, and all the more surprising because its main objective is to provide decent dark skies for astronomy. I always felt that the only reason we would get any improvement would be as a result of an energy saving initative. So good news all round. I genuinely feel for those folks living in the Dublin area. I live in a small village that has gotten progressivly worse over the last 20 years with new developments with the same old street lights and "fear of crime security lights" - usually Halogen...aghhhh
Still if it comes to pass, all we will need is a giant air-blower to move the clouds

Declan

My mother recently told me that she heard that some county councils are considering turning off the street lights between midnight and 5am in an effort to save money, has anyone else heard anything like this?

Paul

I heard a mention of it a few months ago but nothing since.

Michael.

It is being looked at by some councils. It's pretty standard now in the UK once the initial pilot studies found that people actually preferred it, and the crime in the areas selected went down. It's usually done with consultation with the locals and police. e.g. www.warwickshire.gov.uk/partnightlighting

Technology here is a little different but it could easily be done, and would receive a similar reception if it was approached in the same way.

Unfortunately, from what I've heard from one person anyway, it's being looked at in the context of non-payment of the household charge. i.e. to be used as a threat/punishment for geographical areas with high nonpayment. That has already been threatened by some councilors (and Phil Hogan) in the media. It's disappointing that the issue is going to be used this way rather than something positive.

I drafted a letter to my local councilors suggesting this a while back, I must dig it up and make it available (and also send it!).

damn, I knew I shouldnt have paid it.