[BCNnet] Fw:response from Bill Evans on possible adverse effects of Palmolive beacon

[Karolyn Beebe]

> I guess BCN and bird groups should try to minimize adverse
effects that this beacon would have.   How?   your thoughts, please >

Dear Alan and all in BCN,
I'm Karolyn Beebe in Madison WI. I found BCN in *A Bird's Eye
View of  the Migratory Bird Route* linked in:
 http://www.cityofchicago.org/Environment/  (Hope this means the
lights out page finally stays online!)

I sent it to the DarkSky and the Outdoor Lighting Forums, saying in
part: 'I strongly suggest that we get that page to ALL city managers.
Give them the choice - follow Chicago's lead and help reverse this
terrible erosion of declining avian species, or let it continue.' People
on these lists educate about and work to control obtrusive lighting.
Many of them signed this petition to stop that beacon: 
 http://www.petitiononline.com/Beacon/petition.html  so a link
to the Palmolive beacon news went too:
 http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/cst-nws-beacon04.html )

I think we need to meet deas like the beacon & NY's memorial with 
more education. The Oklahoman recently announced: "Beacon to give 
downtown its opportunity to shine - Within a year, Oklahoma City will 
have a downtown "Beacon of Hope.." Then there's the Luxor Skybeam:
http://www.cosmiverse.com/paranormal04130102.html quote: "The 
shaft of light atop the black pyramid on the Strip comes alive at night, 
attracting thousands of silver moths, bats and birds for what transforms 
into an aerial feeding frenzy." I once mistook the activity in the beams 
over the WI capitol dome as a "feeding frenzy" for birds and bats. 

A letter in today's NY Times offers a chance for follow-ups that
could raise awareness - Birds in the Light 
 http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/05/opinion/L05LIGH.html

To the Editor:
Re "A Survey Reveals Sentiment for Keeping Shafts of Light" 
(news article, March 29) The New York City Audubon 
Society supports the temporary memorial, but not its extension 
past April 13.

Since migrating birds are confounded by artificial light, society 
members watch the light beams from remote computers and 
survey the site each night. So far, only a few disoriented birds 
have been seen. But peak spring migration starts at the end of 
April. Our research shows that in certain weather conditions 
there could be numerous bird casualties.

Migration is a perilous journey. We do not wish to increase 
the hazards for these "gatherings of angels."   
MARCIA T. FOWLE
President, New York City Audubon Society
======================================

Here's: A Survey Reveals Sentiment for Keeping Shafts of Light: 
 http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/29/nyregion/29LIGH.html

We could also ask webmasters of pages about birding, 
sustainability, planning, anything on improving the quality of ALL 
life to add a link to International Dark-Sky Assoc.
 http://www.darksky.org/ida/links/enviro.html 

Birds near the end of the page. I hope BCN links to it.


Karolyn Beebe - Madison WI
keedo@merr.com