Discussion
When will it end?
(Source: Telegraph
Telepgraph said:
Light pollution is to become a statutory offence, enabling people to take on neighbours whose lights stop them from sleeping.
Under a Bill published yesterday, anyone who finds that artificial light emitting from premises is "prejudicial to health or a nuisance" will be able to complain to the council.
If the offender takes no action, he or she could face fines of up to £50,000.
The inclusion of the offence of light pollution in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill represents a triumph for countryside campaigners and astronomers who have lobbied for more than 15 years to keep the skies dark.
Tom Oliver, the head of rural policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: "This is a great day for everyone who values the quality of the environment.
"At last people will be able to fight back against distracting lighting. For too long it has blighted their lives.
"Our campaign against light pollution inspired a wave of protest at the anti-social nature of so much external lighting which is destroying our views of the stars. We are delighted that the Government is legislating for this."
However, many premises, including some of the worst offenders such as airports and bus stations, will be exempt. Street lighting will not.
Mr Oliver said: "We are committed to working with the Government to ensure that as many sources of intrusive lighting as possible are covered in the legislation."
The Clean Neighbourhoods Bill is a portmanteau piece of legislation giving all sorts of new powers to councils and the Environment Agency.
It allows parish councils to impose fixed penalties, which they will be able to set themselves, for litter, dog fouling and graffiti.
It will give local authorities powers to tow away abandoned cars immediately, instead of ticketing them and waiting for 24 hours.
The Bill will also allow council officials to enter premises to turn off nuisance burglar alarms. If necessary, they will be able to break in, although they must first seek a warrant from a magistrate.
Fixed penalty notices can also be handed out to pubs and clubs which ignore warnings that they are too loud.
The Environment Agency will be able to impose spot fines for fly-tipping.
Westminster observers say it is no coincidence that Tony Blair has chosen to concentrate on neighbourhoods in an election year.
Margaret Beckett, the Environment Secretary, said: "People want to live in communities that are not blighted by litter, graffiti and fly posters and we should not have to tolerate the anti-social behaviour that leads to abandoned, burnt-out cars."
But waste experts say the Government is still a long way from controlling the problem of abandoned cars, caused by the falling price of scrap and the cost of complying with EU environmental legislation.
(Source: Telegraph
Indeed.
And if they want to solve the problem of abandoned cars then they don't need a new law. They just need to subsidise car disposal. In the "old days" you could get £50 scrap for your car, so no point abadoning it. Now that it costs money to scrap a car people abandon them.
Simple solution: Automatic government subsidy on disposing a car, so that the owner gets £50 for handing over a scrapper. Would wipe out a majority of non-stolen abandoned cars overnight.
And if they want to solve the problem of abandoned cars then they don't need a new law. They just need to subsidise car disposal. In the "old days" you could get £50 scrap for your car, so no point abadoning it. Now that it costs money to scrap a car people abandon them.
Simple solution: Automatic government subsidy on disposing a car, so that the owner gets £50 for handing over a scrapper. Would wipe out a majority of non-stolen abandoned cars overnight.
I actually agree with rules controlling the types of lighting people can use - especially outside their homes. I'm a bit of an amateur astronomer and it has been getting more and more difficult to see the night sky due to the inexorable expansion of towns and the increase in outdoor lighting. I have no problems with outdoor lighting per se - but much of the types of lighting in use today is grossly excessive for the requirements and can actually lead to poorer security rather than better.
Even for those of you who may have no interest whatsoever in the night sky, the ability to see the stars and planets with the naked eye on a cold crisp evening can still be quite an inspirational sight.
No wonder so many inner city kids have no appreciation of "bigger" issues.
Even for those of you who may have no interest whatsoever in the night sky, the ability to see the stars and planets with the naked eye on a cold crisp evening can still be quite an inspirational sight.
No wonder so many inner city kids have no appreciation of "bigger" issues.
Sorry, just find it a bit rediculous.. hardly TOP of the agenda when you realise all the other things that are screwing up in this country..ho hum perhaps we can use it on chavs and their neons.. Eric Mc said:
I actually agree with rules controlling the types of lighting people can use - especially outside their homes. I'm a bit of an amateur astronomer and it has been getting more and more difficult to see the night sky due to the inexorable expansion of towns and the increase in outdoor lighting. I have no problems with outdoor lighting per se - but much of the types of lighting in use today is grossly excessive for the requirements and can actually lead to poorer security rather than better.
Even for those of you who may have no interest whatsoever in the night sky, the ability to see the stars and planets with the naked eye on a cold crisp evening can still be quite an inspirational sight.
No wonder so many inner city kids have no appreciation of "bigger" issues.
I totally agree. Excessive and inefficient lighting is not only intrusive, but wasteful. >> Edited by wolosp on Thursday 9th December 14:06
Telepgraph said:
Light pollution is to become a statutory offence, enabling people to take on neighbours whose lights stop them from sleeping.
Under a Bill published yesterday, anyone who finds that artificial light emitting from premises is "prejudicial to health or a nuisance" will be able to complain to the council.
In Statutory Law noise is a statutory nuisance under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Local Authorities have the power to take the necessary steps where they are satisfied that a noise nuisance exists. BUT there is NO PRESCRIBED LEVEL above which a noise becomes a statutory nuisance. Each case is considered on its merits - as with Common Law.
So, how an earth are the council going to assess the detrimental effect of artificial light on neighbours? People have different levels of tolerance - what if one neighbour complains about a household but another doesn't?
Try using black-out lining!
In actual fact, over the past ten years or so, street lamps have been gradually updated to ensure that as much of the light is directed downwards where it's needed rather than upwards into the sky - where it serves no purpose other than to cause light pollution. We had our street lights changed a few nonths ago and they are much better than the previous versions - the lighting in the street is actually improved but the glow in the sky has reduced. The added bonus is that these lamps are also much more energy efficient. This is one of those rare "win... win" situations.
In many countries, legislation has been brought in to restrict light polution levels - including the USA. You only have to read some of the astronomy magazines to realise what a problem light pollution has become.
On a personal level, in my previous house, a neighbour directly accross the road had what seemed to be a 2 million candlepower security light. Every time a cat or fox wandered into the infra-red zone, the light would blaze out. It caused me no end of disrupted sleep.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 9th December 14:40
In many countries, legislation has been brought in to restrict light polution levels - including the USA. You only have to read some of the astronomy magazines to realise what a problem light pollution has become.
On a personal level, in my previous house, a neighbour directly accross the road had what seemed to be a 2 million candlepower security light. Every time a cat or fox wandered into the infra-red zone, the light would blaze out. It caused me no end of disrupted sleep.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 9th December 14:40
In our last house we accidentally left the security light on our garage on all night one night.
The next day our neighbour came over to ask if we could not do that, and was quite taken aback when I apologised profusely and assured him that it had been a genuine mistake.
Try that first, and if that fails then consider blackout curtains or (for total darkness) the velcro blinds you can buy from photographic shops to turn any room into an instant darkroom.
(Eg: here)
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 9th December 15:04
The next day our neighbour came over to ask if we could not do that, and was quite taken aback when I apologised profusely and assured him that it had been a genuine mistake.
Try that first, and if that fails then consider blackout curtains or (for total darkness) the velcro blinds you can buy from photographic shops to turn any room into an instant darkroom.
(Eg: here)
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 9th December 15:04
The Wiz said:
We've got the same problem .... high powered security light that lights up the bedroom like daylight. ing annoying.
i cured that with i fishing catapult and a stone after asking failed to resolve the light shining directly into the bedroom, another aproach is to say the person is using it as an excuse to view you / your wife through the flimsy curtains then call him a peeping tom
JonRB said:
And if they want to solve the problem of abandoned cars then they don't need a new law. They just need to subsidise car disposal. In the "old days" you could get £50 scrap for your car, so no point abadoning it. Now that it costs money to scrap a car people abandon them.
Simple solution: Automatic government subsidy on disposing a car, so that the owner gets £50 for handing over a scrapper. Would wipe out a majority of non-stolen abandoned cars overnight.
Better, and even simpler, solution: Stop calling them a "problem", and leave them where they are so that people with compatible models can scrounge parts off them. Scrapping them is just a waste of useful parts.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff