She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
-Lord Byron
Ten years ago we moved from about 5 minutes away from downtown Austin (albeit next to the Barton Creek greenbelt) to a farm out in the country north of Georgetown. One of the first things we noticed, it being August, was the night sky. In Austin, we saw one, maybe two or three, stars when looking up from our deck. Out here, the sky was full of them - we could even see the Milky Way streaming across the sky every uncloudy night. And, in August, the Perseid meteor shower was one of the first gifts our new home gave us. It's one of the joys of country life, the night sky.
Since that time, in only that brief period of time, as more people move into the area, one at a time, I've noticed a gradual degradation in the night sky. Why do people who are afraid of the dark move to the country? It puzzles me.
This is not unique to our area. In fact, light pollution is a well-known problem. With some solutions that don't require sitting in the dark in a cave huddled around a fire, as it happens.
There's lots of interesting information on this problem, about misconceptions people have about the relationship between lighting around their homes and businesses and security, about ways to light your home without causing light pollution, light trespass (think of your neighbor's security light shining into your bedroom window all night, or being blinded by your neighbor's lighting every time you go out your door at night), educational resources, and everything else to do with the problem, to be found at http://www.darksky.org/. More information can be found by simply googling "light pollution" - you'll find government links, links to Astronomy magazine articles on the problem, regional groups that deal with light pollution - over a million hits in all.
As real estate agents, like other kinds of pollution, this is something that can be of concern to our clients, and educating ourselves and our clients about it is something we can do to help our communities. Let's leave some of that beauty for our children, shall we?
Dear Tricia,
Being raised a country gal I totatly understand what you are saying. Here in Norco we are beginning to have the same problem. I will have to go to that site so I can share it at the city counsel mettings. You're great thanks.
Have a wonderful day.
Roberta Lee
Century 21 Olde Tyme, Norco, CA