[Regarding “Let It Shine (Less): WNC Wrestles With Light Pollution,” Nov. 24, Xpress:] There are too many lights in Asheville. The growth has been great. We need to revisit 2012 rules and update please!
— Sally Safara
Asheville
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Please excuse me, but of all the myriad issues/problems we have in our society, somehow I really can’t get my head around too much light at night being much of an issue. In fact, I think the City’s current “light ordinance” is a bit silly and many of the rules are unenforceable except in new development. Sorry, I just don’t see this as much of priority. Perhaps the author(s) could enlighten us as to why they think this is so important. Thank you.
Hi, Mike! I hope you had a Merry Christmas/happy holiday season. To state the obvious: I am not the original author of the Letter to the Editor, but I support a re-visitation of the lighting ordinances, and wish more municipalities would do the same. First, I would agree that there are a MYRIAD of issues that Asheville and WNC should tackle, but I don’t think that addressing one issue is mutually exculsive of addressing others. I would hope that we could “walk and chew gum at the same time”
Second, we should update and enhance dark sky protections to A) Provide safer human/animal interactions in the WUI–Wildland Urban Interface. We have an ability to take better care of our land, and that includes limiting our impact to the nocturnal animals that are adversely impacted by urban lighting; and, B) There are so few International Dark Sky Association Places left if the Eastern United states, and we should do all we can to limit light pollution to see the night sky–especially since we’re so close to other observatories. Is there a monetary value to seeing a clear starry sky? Of course not, but there’s a quintessentially human experience to it, and that should be protected for citizens and tourists alike.
I’d add that light pollution can disrupt the migratory and mating patterns of bird populations. Certain types of light can also draw swarms of insects carrying disease vectors. Old technology and poorly directed light beams waste electricity, can be hazardous and difficult to recycle, and drive up costs for all of us. Some types of light from streetlamps can distort color recognition, creating a safety hazard and reducing the ability of law enforcement personnel to deter or investigate criminal activity. Yes, we need to address the other issues Mike R raised. But we can move forward, I hope, on several fronts at once.
We should all be quieter, calmer, and turn out the lights as much as possible–if nothing else, in order to respect others and not infringe upon their Quality Of Life. Just last night, in my own home, my fiancee stayed up late to write poetry (or something!) at our dining table. Her excessive light use caused me several fitful hours of sleep before the power (very thankfully) went out during the storm. Before that Godsend (wish the power would fail more often!), I was forced to rise from my fitful slumber to place a fleece jacket on the floor to block out light sneaking under the door. If ordinances are not improved, we must at least give our extra fleece jackets to ‘possums!
*All kidding aside, my first sentence is what I truly believe.