In cases where you do need an outside light for safety, please make sure you point them at the ground where you need the light and not upwards into the sky!
LED ones have less environmental impact (and will be much cheaper to run) and please, please avoid those ghastly 500W ones with the glass tube-shaped bulbs.
For movement activated lights, please take time to adjust them so that humans trigger them but not small animals.
All simple stuff which will limit the damage.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I totally agree with you about light pollution Bob. Unfortunately, I no longer live in a rural setting so it's harder to get those beautiful clear skies to see the stars.
One day....
I can content myself with looking at the beautiful photos on the walking sight I use when mad people go up hills at night to catch a sunrise or sunset from the summit. Some of them are heart-achingly beautiful and reduce me to tears
Little things make a big difference - as you rightly say. A little common sense
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sounds like your detector is a bit over-sensitive pansyface. Have a look to see if there is an adjustment - often a small hole through which you can insert a flat-bladed screwdriver. There's a 500W monstrosity across the road from me which is on and off all night - even the wind blowing branches seems to set it off. The owner is 'not communicative' so I've had to buy thick dark bedroom curtains to stop being woken up at night. I was considering an air rifle before I came to my senses though..
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I had a chap to stay in the Summer to do some work for me. He's a towny! When I took him outside in the dark he was completely blown away by the night sky. He had no idea what he'd been missing...and yes it was the first time he'd ever seen the Milky Way (not in a sweetie shop Bb) and yes I think I saw a tiny tear at the beauty.
I'm another one that hates light pollution. We live in an area of fabulous night skies and which is officially designated as Europe’s largest area of protected night sky. Due to its pristine skies it was awarded gold tier designation by the International Dark Sky Association, making it officially the best place in England for people to go to enjoy the heavens. It's fantastic and I never take it for granted.
We always ensure our customers staying in our holiday cottage know that outside lights are to be turned off when not needed and particularly because they affect the hunting ability of owls. We do everything possible to preserve their habitat We've got barn, tawny, short eared, long eared and little owls on the farm.
We did have a study here by a bat protection group and because we're also privileged to have quite a lot of species of them. They told us that there was significant evidence that excessive light does significantly delay the timing of them coming out to forage and ultimately can affect survival.
Posts
In cases where you do need an outside light for safety, please make sure you point them at the ground where you need the light and not upwards into the sky!
LED ones have less environmental impact (and will be much cheaper to run) and please, please avoid those ghastly 500W ones with the glass tube-shaped bulbs.
For movement activated lights, please take time to adjust them so that humans trigger them but not small animals.
All simple stuff which will limit the damage.
I totally agree with you about light pollution Bob. Unfortunately, I no longer live in a rural setting so it's harder to get those beautiful clear skies to see the stars.
One day....
I can content myself with looking at the beautiful photos on the walking sight I use when mad people go up hills at night to catch a sunrise or sunset from the summit. Some of them are heart-achingly beautiful and reduce me to tears
Little things make a big difference - as you rightly say. A little common sense
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sounds like your detector is a bit over-sensitive pansyface. Have a look to see if there is an adjustment - often a small hole through which you can insert a flat-bladed screwdriver. There's a 500W monstrosity across the road from me which is on and off all night - even the wind blowing branches seems to set it off. The owner is 'not communicative' so I've had to buy thick dark bedroom curtains to stop being woken up at night. I was considering an air rifle before I came to my senses though..
I had a chap to stay in the Summer to do some work for me. He's a towny! When I took him outside in the dark he was completely blown away by the night sky. He had no idea what he'd been missing...and yes it was the first time he'd ever seen the Milky Way (not in a sweetie shop Bb) and yes I think I saw a tiny tear at the beauty.
BobtheG.
Complain to your local council, whichever one is responsible for environmental matters down your way - probably the District or Borough.
I'm another one that hates light pollution. We live in an area of fabulous night skies and which is officially designated as Europe’s largest area of protected night sky. Due to its pristine skies it was awarded gold tier designation by the International Dark Sky Association, making it officially the best place in England for people to go to enjoy the heavens. It's fantastic and I never take it for granted.
We always ensure our customers staying in our holiday cottage know that outside lights are to be turned off when not needed and particularly because they affect the hunting ability of owls. We do everything possible to preserve their habitat We've got barn, tawny, short eared, long eared and little owls on the farm.
We did have a study here by a bat protection group and because we're also privileged to have quite a lot of species of them. They told us that there was significant evidence that excessive light does significantly delay the timing of them coming out to forage and ultimately can affect survival.