Living in Kerry most of our members have fairly dark skies but we must
not become complacent. Our towns are rapidly expanding and little regard
is being given to light pollution and it's negative effects on the environment
and the night sky.
The Kerry County Development Plan, 2003, has a section on Light Pollution
in which it states its objective to "minimise light Pollution".
Requiring that "details of any external lighting scheme intended
as part of any new development shall be submitted as part of the planning
application. Applicants will be required to demonstrate that the lighting
scheme proposed is the minimum needed for security and working purposes"
This makes Kerry County Council one of the first, if not the first,
to have seriously considered the negative effects of Light pollution
and done something about it. Congratulations to all involved.
Lets hope that they get the support to enforce it.
However the Tralee development plan has totally ignored this form of
pollution and even encourages the inclusion "decorative flood lighting"
to be considered for inclusion in the plans for any significant development!
Example of the lighting encouraged by some planning authorities!
While most of the rest of Europe has started the costly process of
replacing inefficient, poorly directed and polluting street light fittings,
we are still not requiring the specification 'Full Cut-Off' lights for
outside, street and road lighting.
Tralee now has a level of light pollution similar to that of Cork and
Limerick, both much larger towns! Below is a map showing the distribution
of polluted skies in South-west Munster derived from satellite images.
On the map you can make out Tralee, Limerick and Cork as the worst
offenders. But the smaller towns are catching up.
Killearny, Bandon, Mallow, Charleville and Listowel have all degraded
to the yellow level. You can also make out Dingle, Castelisland, Kenmare,
Kinsale, Abbyfeale, Bantry, Kanturk, Millstreet, Macroom and Cahersiveen.
If you look at a similar map of all of Ireland
and of Western Europe you
will see that, while we do have some of the darkest skies left in all
of Europe, we are rapidly degrading this precious resource.
(All these Images are Credited to P. Cinzano, F. Falchi (University
of Padova), C. D. Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder).
Copyright Royal Astronomical Society. See www.inquinamentoluminoso.it)
While the rest of Europe and the US are trying to find the money to
fund the costs of removing and replacing the older, inefficient light
fittings, we are still spending money buying and installing them!
To get more information on Light pollution see the Irish Light Pollution
Awareness Campaign (ILPAC)
and the International Darkskies Association (IDA)
