Michael Uberty~ activist for starlight restoration.
One Star at a Time, Global StarPark Network, Astronomers Without Borders
Michael and SpokeStar will share ideas of how YOU can make a difference.
I was thinking about the time when I really understood LightPollution and when
it truly affected me. I went and looked in my filingcabinet for my
documents that would give me that date. I found it, January2005 was the
year I started my fight against Light Pollution. Living ona country
road all my life with no Street lights, I knew what thenight sky had to
offer. Late in 2004 I was informed that neighbors wanted toput Street
lights on our road.
On that particular day I was furious. People wanted to takemy night
sky away from me and I was going to do everything in mypower to stop
lights from being installed and ruining my views of thenight sky.
I had to convince my neighbors that lights were not needed,so how do
I do it I was thinking to my self. I had no contacts,nothing! Our
family just got our first computer an a couple monthsbefore that and I
was still learning how to type my name on it, I never evenused a
typewriter before. With no experience I started my searchfor Light
Pollution sites that would I thought give me all theinformation on how
to deal with this type of nightmare.
To my surprise there was not many websites with the typeof
information on Light Pollution that were very helpful. Surethey
explained what LP was but not how to deal with this type ofsituation. I
copied down what I thought would give me the bestammunition to hand out
to my neighbors. I went to every door on my road and talkedto and left
my fliers for everyone to read before the first town hallmeeting. I
went to the first meeting and heard ridiculous reasons whysome folks
wanted Street lights, “we want to walk at night and beseen”, “we need
the lights so the Ambulance can see our housenumbers”, “we want to feel
safer at night”.
Then heard from people who did not like the idea, “Imoved to this
road because the next road over where I use to liveinstalled Street
lights”, “I don’t need them”, “It willcost me Money? No way!”, me and a
few others spoke up about ruining the view of the nightsky, my father
who was on the town council for 20 years wanted to be optedout with 5
other neighbors in my area of the road said the same.
The board heard both sides and decided that lights wouldnot be put
from my next door neighbors house to my fathers house butwill have a
vote on the rest of the road. The vote came in 49% No 51%Yes.
For one mile there are 13 Street lights that turn on atdusk and go
off at daybreak, I live on top of a hill and see 2 Streetlights and
can’t wait until my trees I had to plant grow big enough toblock the
light.
I knew I had to join in the fight. Audrey Fischer and Ihave been working together
coming up with ideas how to inform the public and will begetting
results soon. SpokeStar is one of our ideas, to informpeople where
Light Pollution is being reduced in towns and cities.SpokeStar will
inform you who is doing this work and how there areachieving there
goals. SpokeStar will be a symbol to all, that anyone cantake part and
get results in the fight against Light Pollution.
