Members may be interested that I have just written the following letter to The Guardian:
Dear Sir,
The article by your columnist John Harris (Sunday 17 November) ‘The streetlights going out all over Britain tell a brutal story: austerity isn’t over – it’s getting worse’, linking the switching off or dimming of streetlights to ‘cash-strapped local councils… hacking down basic amenities’ is seriously misguided.
There are very good reasons for reducing the period of operation and intensity of street lighting that have nothing to do with saving money.
There is increasing evidence linking artificial lighting negatively to health. A House of Lords committee report last year called artificial light a ‘neglected pollutant’ that can ‘disrupt sleep and circadian rhythms’.
Moreover, artificial light damages ecosystems. CPRE says ‘Light pollution can disrupt the natural rhythms of wildlife, including their migration, reproduction, and feeding patterns’.
Artificial lighting throughout the hours of darkness that cannot be escaped by the population of our towns and cities leads children to grow up in ignorance of the wonder of the natural, dark, star-filled night sky, and this is a loss to our collective culture, as well as to the public understanding of science.
Finally, as we are in a climate crisis, reducing energy consumption is essential for global sustainability.
It is obvious that a certain amount of outdoor lighting is essential to our society. However, we need an evidence-led discussion about how much, where, and at what times is optimum for our wellbeing, and for nature. Local authorities having that discussion with their citizens is a good development.
Yours,
Dr David Arditti
Vice-President, British Astronomical Association
