The Kyoto Accord and its implication on environmental policy are prominent in the headlines. Regardless of where one stands on Kyoto, there is no doubt that energy consumption in Canada has risen rapidly in recent years, both on a per capita and national basis. That fact, coupled with higher energy prices and a concern about our deteriorating summer air, has lead to increased public awareness about the need to reduce energy consumption.

One way we waste energy is the unneeded lighting up of our night sky. Even to a casual observer, it is apparent that our night sky is filled with wasted light energy. In our area, I’ve noticed a real deterioration of the night sky over the last 10 years. What was once an inky black sky that twinkled with the night stars, is now saturated by light pollution. This light pollution wastes energy, is disruptive to wildlife migratory patterns and takes away from the ageless beauty of the night sky.

And this light pollution is not necessary. For example, streetlights can be properly engineered with shields that direct light downward and not upward and outward, as they often do now. Unshielded light represents a huge waste of energy and money.
Reducing light pollution will decrease energy consumption, lower energy costs and reduce electricity generation emissions - all at the same time. Most importantly, it will allow us to preserve the beauty of the night heavens, so that we can show our children the wonders of the night sky, without having to drive for hours to places like Algonquin Park.

However, this government has an ill-defined "Alice in Wonderland" approach to the environment - one that is destined to fail. Instead, we need to focus on simple steps, such as addressing light pollution, to deliver tangible results.