Dear [Name of your MP],
I am writing to you as a constituent of [your constituency] because I want to help accelerate action on climate change.
I have seen the effects of light pollution in my local area, where the skyglow from street lighting and high rise buildings colours the skies. This, along with Nox Magazine’s campaign for dark skies, has moved me to send this letter.
Light spilling up into the night sky is a waste of money and energy: local councils were estimated to spend £613 million on street lighting in 2014-15 – and the lights can account for between 15-30% of a council’s carbon emissions. This shows that this is not only an environmental issue, but a financial one as well. As this is such a wide reaching issue, it is worth fixing.
The All Party Political Group for Dark Skies has gone some way to highlight the prevalence of this issue, but given its limited number of members and the widespread responsibilities of the individual in parliament, the progress is limited.
Will you commit to voicing your support on policies that ensure the safety of dark skies for future generations as well as ourselves?
The APPG recommends 10 points of direct action, split into three categories. These are:
- UPDATE THE EXISTING LEGAL FRAMEWORK – The existing legal framework regulating light pollution is derived from statute and therefore can only be amended by Parliament. New legislation is therefore likely to be necessary to truly protect the UK’s dark skies and night-time landscape.
- SUPERCHARGE STANDARDS FOR LIGHTING – Following examples from other countries such as the ‘French Law 2018’, an overhaul of the rules applicable to outdoor lighting installations and internal light spill is paramount to prevent, limit and reduce light pollution.
- INCENTIVISE DARK SKY GOVERNANCE AT THE NATIONAL, LOCAL AND INDIVIDUAL LEVEL – Introduce new initiatives at every level of government which create clear incentives for dark sky preservation and educate about the effects of light pollution as part of wider climate change awareness.
With these three changes I believe that a massive difference could be made, and a big step would be therefore taken in the fight for dark skies.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
[your name]
[full address and postcode]