The City Dark - A documentary about the disappearing stars

[AlexMaragos]

THE CITY DARK is a feature documentary about light pollution and the disappearing night sky, premiered at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival [SXSW]. After moving to New York City from rural Maine, filmmaker Ian Cheney asks a simple question, “Do we need the stars?” Exploring the threat of killer asteroids in Hawaii, tracking hatching turtles along the Florida coast, and rescuing injured birds on Chicago streets, Cheney unravels the myriad implications of a globe glittering with lights – including increased breast cancer rates from exposure to light at night, and a generation of kids without a glimpse of the universe above. 



Featuring stunning astrophotography and a cast of eclectic scientists, philosophers, historians and lighting designers, THE CITY DARK is the definitive story of light pollution and the disappearing stars.

[BMAONE23]

The lights are an unfortunate necessity in a seemingly civilized society. As populations grow so does the criminal element. Without lights to deter them, the criminal element would be more at ease to perform their nefarious tasks

[neufer]

The lights are an unfortunate necessity in a seemingly civilized society.
As populations grow so does the criminal element.
Without lights to deter them, the criminal element would be more at ease to perform their nefarious tasks.

Professor John Nerdelbaum Frink, Jr. [a.k.a., Hank Azaria]

---

[img3="Chester "Snake" 'Turley [a.k.a., Hank Azaria]"]http://www.rob-clarkson.com/duff-brewery/snake/01.jpg[/img3]

[bystander]

Model Lighting Ordinance to Promote Responsible Outdoor Lighting
International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) | Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) | 2011 June 17

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) announce public release of the Model Lighting Ordinance (MLO), a valuable guide for environmentally responsible outdoor lighting in North America. The MLO is an outdoor lighting template designed to help municipalities develop outdoor lighting standards that reduce glare, light trespass, and skyglow. Such standards reduce expenses, save energy, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The MLO was developed jointly by the IDA and the IES over a period of seven years. The IDA/IES partnership will encourage broad adoption of comprehensive outdoor lighting ordinances. Any community, regardless of size, can use the MLO to develop proven, comprehensive, and environmentally sound outdoor lighting practices without devoting extensive staff time and resources to their development. A user’s guide explains the technical details of the regulation template using everyday terminology and examples.

Several unique features allow the MLO to be customized. The first innovation is the use of five lighting zones to classify land use and to implement appropriate lighting levels for each. Zones range from LZ0, designed for pristine natural environments and limited outdoor lighting, to LZ4, for limited application in areas of extensive development in the largest cities.

The second innovation limits the amount of light used for each property. An individual parcel is given a lumen allowance based on the lighting zone, the size of the property, and the degree of development on the property.

Third, the MLO uses the IES’s new TM-15 -11 "BUG" (Backlight, Uplight and Glare) classification of outdoor lighting fixtures to ensure that only well-shielded fixtures are used. No uplight for area and street lighting is allowed in any zone.

Bob Parks, executive director of IDA, hopes for widespread application. "The MLO will give communities the tool they need to control outdoor lighting and the assurance that the outcome will meet the international standards developed by the IES,” states Parks. “The MLO will accelerate adoption of quality outdoor lighting practices in municipalities of all sizes and show planners how to improve the quality of outdoor lighting while saving energy and reducing operating cost."

Robert Horner, director of public policy for the IES, expresses similar expectations, stating, “The IES is proud to have produced, in partnership with the IDA, the first Model Lighting Ordnance. This will give states and municipalities the ability to enact effective outdoor lighting legislation and codes, while maintaining the necessary lighting quality for a safe and secure lighted environment and meeting all relevant IES standards and practices.”

The International Dark-Sky Association, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, was founded in 1988 to promote environmentally responsible outdoor lighting and the preservation of the night sky. IDA educates communities and individuals to use only the amount of outdoor lighting necessary, only when necessary and to direct it to the ground where it is needed.

Starry Night | Essay by Adelheid Fischer
The Design Observer Group | Places | 2011 June 20

[Chris Peterson]

The lights are an unfortunate necessity in a seemingly civilized society. As populations grow so does the criminal element. Without lights to deter them, the criminal element would be more at ease to perform their nefarious tasks

There is absolutely no evidence to show that lighting deters crime. There is quite a lot of anecdotal evidence (from police departments), however, that lighting may increase crime. As it happens, criminals generally dislike operating in the dark- it is more dangerous for them. Most crimes occur in well lit areas.

Lighting in cities tends to be of poor design- too much light in total, and very poorly directed. In many cases, lighting creates traffic or pedestrian dangers that would be less without any lighting at all.

A well designed city certainly requires lighting, but an intelligent lighting plan does not need to seriously impact the sky above even a huge city.

[BMAONE23]

Well I can attest to the simple fact that when I parked it in dark places, my car was broken into twice and had the liscense plate taken once. But since I started parking next to the street light it hasn't been bothered once in 4 years.

[Chris Peterson]

Well I can attest to the simple fact that when I parked it in dark places, my car was broken into twice and had the liscense plate taken once. But since I started parking next to the street light it hasn't been bothered once in 4 years.

This is what is meant by anecdotal.

In any case, there are many kinds of crime, and you need to look at the bigger picture. Also, there is no reason that the sort of lighting you might want around a parking area needs to create any light pollution at all.

[neufer]

Well I can attest to the simple fact that when I parked it in dark places, my car was broken into twice and had the license plate taken once.
But since I started parking next to the street light it hasn't been bothered once in 4 years.

• The Adventure of the Six Napoleons

"I wish to call your attention very particularly to the position of this house, in the garden of which the bust was destroyed."

Lestrade looked about him.

"It was an empty house, and so he knew that he would not be disturbed in the garden."

"Yes, but there is another empty house farther up the street which he must have passed before he came to this one. Why did he not break it there, since it is evident that every yard that he carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him?"

"I give it up," said Lestrade.

Holmes pointed to the street lamp above our heads.

"He could see what he was doing here, and he could not there. That was his reason."

"By Jove! that's true," said the detective. "Now that I come to think of it, Dr. Barnicot's bust was broken not far from his red lamp. Well, Mr. Holmes, what are we to do with that fact?"

[Beyond]

Dang! It's been toooo long. I don't remember what was hidden in the Busts that were getting busted. Watson, come here, i need you.