Dear Councilman Gates,
I am concerned about the plans to switch from current Phoenix city street lamps
to LED lighting. LEDs are brighter, cheaper and last longer than ordinary
lights so I can certainly understand the desire to change. (I use them in my
home.) But as an amateur astronomer, I see a problem with the switch: Phoenix
used to be a pristine observing location until population growth rendered it
not much better than any other metropolis. We will drive up to 100 miles to get
to a “dark site.” If you ever get a chance to see the stars under such
conditions you will understand why we do.
The International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) has a website with details about
lighting problems and their recommended solutions. Please have a look at
Policy Maker Info: http://darksky.org/lighting/policy-makers/
Guidelines: http://darksky.org/lighting/led-practical-guide/
for further details.
Thank you for your consideration,
Alex
Dr. Alexander Vrenios
1565 E Marconi Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85022-3248
(602) 789-6556
