Dark Skies A Cause for Concern!

In recent weeks there have been a number of prominent features in the press and radio news on the subject of light pollution, all commenting on the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to see the stars in the night sky from our towns and cities.

There can be no doubt that light pollution is a serious problem for those affected by it, but how will these campaigns for Dark Skies impact on our industry? Are signs and signmakers an easy target for legislators and environmentalists?

Should they be focusing their attention on the major contributors to light pollution; street and security lighting?

In the following article Bruce Lyle, past President of the BSGA, offers his views on these questions and tells us how the sign industry is responding to the threat. It was about 3 years ago, at the last European Sign Federation Congress, in Zaragoza, Spain, when the topic of Dark Skies first raised a serious question mark. A couple of ham actors from ISA, the American Sign Association, (which a certain George Dubya named the International Sign Association,) came up with a presentation which was sufficiently thought provoking to stop us laughing at the absurd comedy of John Johnston and Larry Catton.

That dynamic duo brought news of an insidious organisation of stargazers, tree-huggers and environmentalists to whom the thought of energised and vibrant cities at night was unacceptable. They told us that this organisation was worldwide. I am not sure how many of us took it seriously then, but, friends, we bring you bad news. They were right!

Just think about that for a minute. No streetlights after curfew, no sport stadium floodlights, and, of course, no illuminated signs! All of this so that these guys can look a stars from the city centres, as they could in the country!

recall once, at a conference in Glasgow, organised by the Scottish Outdoor Advertising Association, which I chaired at that time, when the Chief Planning Officer of our great city declared he would prefer to see no illuminated signs in the city centre! I thought he was mad, not as a sign man, but as someone who cannot imagine a city without bright lights; a symbol of our society. Without my knowing it he was showing me the way regulators were really thinking.

At the last EVL Board Meeting in Holland, our Dutch colleagues told of new regulations affecting all outdoor advertising, which limits not only the brightness of displays, but the time allowed for those displays. Even worse, our Spanish partners have told us that the Mayor of Madrid has BANNED all illuminated signs within the city centre. This edict affects not only new applications, but also existing installations, which will have to be removed if they don’t conform.

The Italian Association have been successful in distancing themselves from new lighting regulations in cities. You may think that these are local concepts, but with the new spirit of unity within Europe, it cannot be long until a regulation in one member country becomes a European edict.

Step forward the European Sign Federation! We can, and we must, put forward a united defence against this major strike against our industry, which is certainly pan-European already. It would be fair to recognise that light pollution is rife, particularly in respect of uncontrolled street and stadium lighting. However, the products supplied by our industry which are specifically to identify its owners, cannot be included within these categories. A Working Group has already been set up to focus on this issue, and we will report back on a regular basis as to our progress. It’s fair to say also that forewarned is forearmed, and we should certainly be looking at defence before attack, and considering ways where sign design looks at controlling light output.

In the meantime, we can help in the UK, by identifying any potential threats from the Blue Skies organisation which occur on a local basis and, particularly by backing the BSGA and the European Sign Federation in their efforts on behalf of our whole industry.

This is no idle threat! Have a look at their web site www.darksky.org

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