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LIGHTING CHOICE COULD SAVE RATEPAYERS' MONEY

Dear Ed,

I am responding as an amateur astronomer to ' Illuminated supermarket signs are over-the-top'.

When we first took up residence in Hawkinge, the skies were reasonably dark and it was possible to carry out some decent observing using telescopes of modest ability.

With the present surge in house building and lack of care when selecting and specifying street lighting luminaires it is almost impossible to do any decent observing. I accept that people want housing and are justified in having their expectations fulfilled. However, as with Lidl's signage, there are alternatives. 

With street lighting it is possible to choose much more efficient systems than that used in much of  Hawkinge and the Shepway area. 

This would also go towards Shepway District Council  achieving some curtailment of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions and meeting some obligations in this direction by reducing the overall costs for the lighting and so providing savings for ratepayers.

Anyone interested to learn more may go to this web site:
http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/index.html

Regards as ever,
Lazarus