Use Intelligent Lighting to Enjoy the Night

Re “It Could Soon Be Lights Out in Calabasas,” Dec. 17: Attorney Jeffrey Aran errs in saying that “the stargazers have to look at the business reality of an urban environment”--implying that they don’t already. Outdoor signs are not the problem; they are illuminated (for free) many hours a day by the sun. It is wasteful lighting practices that are the problem.

All we ask is that lights be pointed downward, at an appropriate power level. Sideways lighting (light trespass) creates glare that ruins the appearance of the community and creates a blinding distraction for drivers. Upward lighting (light pollution) is sheer waste, using precious resources to light up the undersides of birds and clouds.

Nobody is asking that we all sit in the dark for the benefit of a few “stargazers.” It would be wonderful if intelligent lighting practices allowed us all to see our natural birthright, the dark night sky.

Steven Morris

Torrance