WHY is it, that when someone mentions the Millennium, for the lack of imagination or diversity, all you hear is "Light something up!"?

I'm writing in reaction to the letter in the GUARDIAN on February 26, titled "Let There Be Light" where the anonymous writer indirectly refers to the Manchester Ship Canal Company and for them to light up their Warrington "crossings," as some conduit to evoke wonder!

As the Warrington representative of the British Astronomical Association, Campaign for Dark Skies (BAA, CFDS), I must stress that such lighting schemes can spoil the natural beauty of the night sky. Inherent to their design, floodlights also spill most of their light skyward and this wasted energy or "light pollution" adds to the overall skyglow caused by other poor quality lighting schemes in the town (both public and commercial). The night sky is part of our natural heritage and should be restored. It can be, if intelligent consideration is given to the subject of outdoor illumination. In this vein, subtle downward illumination can enhance architecture, producing a more aesthetic atmosphere. It is the quality of the light, not the quantity that makes the difference.

As a footnote, anyone considering a floodlighting project, should bear in mind what happened to the Isle of Wight Council. They set up 72 floodlights to illuminate a stretch of cliffs. However 45 were stolen for the cultivation of cannabis! Consequently the remaining 27 were removed because they could not afford the £15,000 needed to replace them.

IAN S. PHELPS

Longford Street

Orford

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.