(too) big city lights

[Maree McHugh <mchumare@turbonet.com>]

I also love to view the night sky, as many people do (recently was able
to acquire the top of the hill behind my house to ensure an
unobstructed  view of the horizon and sky). There is a big distinction
between providing safe lighting in public areas and lighting up the
countryside.  I prefer to not feel the glow of the bright sodium lights
5 miles away across the Palouse, or from across the road.  
Security  lighting need not be obtrusive; envision the soft glow of
gentle orbs that light your way through the trees at East City Park.
Those who like the security of bright lights might consider a motion
sensor switch, that shine a light on your intruders.
And those merry persons who leave the x-mas lights up till spring, well,
I consider it a cultural variant, perhaps a need for color and fun
beyond the constraints of a commercialized season.  Not to mention a
whole lot of work goes into stringing those million little lights, and
taking them down.  
McHugh 

Ron Force wrote:
> 
> May I respectfully dissent?  One of the pleasures of living in a small
> town is the ability to occasionaly observe the sky and stars at night,
> even from within the city limits. (Rant on)  One of the most disturbing
> trends is people moving into the countryside, and putting up lightpoles
> with sodium lights that burn all night. Or houses covered with Christmas
> lights that burn all night well into the spring.  We want to
> decommission hydroelectric dams while continuing to overlight our
> environment at all times, even when there is no one in the vicinity to
> shine the lights on.  (rant off).
> 
> G M wrote:
> 
> > A I was walking through East City Park last night I
> > thought of another "Parks" item that could use some
> > immediate, overdue attention/funding.  How about some
> > tasteful but effective lighting along that very dark
> > path?
> >
> > Greg Meyer
> >
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> --
> Ron Force    rforce@moscow.com
> Moscow, Idaho