[Chaos-l] LED lamps replacing LPS and effect on light pollution [was: Thoughts...]

[Terry Crook]

The motion detector idea is BAD as pedestrians, animals, stalled 
vehicles, miscreants would not be seen until TOO LATE!
Also, depending on location (urban or suburban) there is still the 
matter of people safety & crime prevention.
Contrary to some, good illumination does serve to discourage illegal 
behavior & enhances other defensive measures (video or live 
observers/policing, etc.)
Such hi-population density areas are the usual sources of light 
pollution but also the most vulnerable to criminal behavior.
We Crooks know these things! ;-)
The other ideas are good & should be promoted vigorously.

Taurus Terry in Chapel Hill
35° 55' 47"N, 79° 01' 00"W


On 8/29/2011 9:32 PM, Jon Stewart-Taylor wrote:
>
> On Aug 29, 2011, at 8:43 PM, walter fowler wrote:
>
>> [...] The real solution to light pollution was enunciated by Jim 
>> Morrison:  "When the music's over ...  turn out the lights."
>
> The 5 rules of Only Good Lighting (tm):
>
> 1) Only illuminate it IF it needs to be lighted.
> 2) Only illuminate it WHEN it needs to be lighted.
> 3) Only illuminate it  AS MUCH as it needs to be lighted.
> 4) Only Illuminate it FROM ABOVE.
> 5) Only illuminate IT, nothing near it.
>
> Number 1 makes more difference than anything else, regardless of the 
> type of light.
>
> For number 2, LEDs can be turned on and off quickly and efficiently,  
> and so might encourage reduced duration of lighting.
>
> Numbers 3-5 could implemented by using new LED fixtures.  Retrofitting 
> LEDs lamps into existing fixtures probably won't help much.  But:
>
> #3 could be addressed by reducing the total lumens emitted from the 
> new lamps.
> #4 could be encouraged due to the low weight of and reduced 
> maintenance required by LEDs.
> #5 could come free with the directionality of LED lamps, from 
> replacing existing fixtures with full-cutoff fixtures, and as a 
> byproduct of #4.
>
> I suspect that most scientists would be perfectly happy to trade the 
> mono-chromatic light dome from LPS lighting for a broad-spectrum light 
> dome 1/2 the size, duration, and intensity.
>
> I know as an amateur, i would be happy.
>
> What i fear is an _increase_ in the intensity (fewer Watts gives more 
> Lumens with LEDs), and no change in the duration of illumination or 
> the type of fixtures.  A glare-bomb is still a glare-bomb, no matter 
> what kind of lamp is in it.
>
> *gets off soapbox*
>
> J.
>
> PS: Kinda cool idea, motion-detector/LED streetlights which are only 
> on when there's a car within 10 meters or so of it, and off otherwise.
>
> J.