The growth of light pollution over the isthmus was obvious from my block above the Yahara River. In less than 10 years, we've lost fine shows of northern ]ilhts and thousands of stars to wasted light. I've also lost windows, blocked against light glaring in, besides those facing the streetlight. How about you? Does light glare in where you wish to check things outside? Do you wonder how glaring light benefits anyone's safety

Glare and sky-glow are results of the past "brighter-is-always-better" school of lighting. But also from that school came efficient bulbs and expensive wiring throughout our cities. With this technology, the new school of "improved visibility" is saving electricity and starry skies. Research on how lighting effects vision brings us new fixture designs that use low watt bulbs more efficiently, and . . .

. . . new guidance from manufacturers. Thomas Lighting says light "must promise immediate good vision and orientation so that an area is usable and safe." (and) "The factor most destructive to lighting performance is glare. " (Right. on!) "Uncontrolled, glare is distracting, causes discomfort to the viewer, adversely affects visibility, and could be a neighborhood nuisance." (My goodness yes, and have you noticed how ... ) "At night, the human eye is drawn to the most luminous element in its field of vision. Glare entering the eyes causes them to contract and impairs one's ability to respond to outdoor light levels." Let us liberate our neighborhoods from glare.

Here,'s a hint for cutting wasted watts (that will also, by the way, reduce MG&E's plume of waste drifting over our homes): "If nothing else, glare, is wasteful, indicating that light is being distributed at useless angles (like, into our sky and homes). "As a result, the economy factor is added to those of safety and comfort."

Stores still sell outdated bulbs and fixtures that were designed in "brighter the better" days. For your lighting needs, ask for choices of the new shielded, "full-cutoff' designs and lower watt bulbs. All the light produced will stay where you need it.

For security, I like motion sensor lights IF thev are well shielded, use low watt bulbs and the sensors are positioned right. NO one on sidewalks, common. or adjacent grounds should turn them on, just the property owner or a trespasser. These can track trespassers, alert neighboring stargazers, leave them safe in the dark with keen night vision and show them what to report ... and they're usually off.

If, say, aII the commercial properties in the isthmus used systems of these lights, imagine how much deeper the skies over our homes could be. So many more stars would be ours to enjoy and, sometimes, marvelous unfurlings of northern lights.

Lighting tips are available from The International Dark-Sky Association, 3225 N. First Ave., Tucsan, AZ 85719. E-mail at ida@darksky.org or visit their webpage at www.darksky,org. For local action contact the Good Neighbor Lighting Group at 246-0222.

Karolvn Beebe

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