Ode to the Starry Night My Neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼ Light
Starry, starry wonderful starry night
Oh how beautiful, how bright
Wait, oh wait, oh dear wait
It’s my neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼ light
That has blinded my night sight
How I wish upon star
That I could see so far
To see the night light shine
Instead, I have to whine:
It’s my neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼ light
That makes the dark night white
Is that light a star from afar?
Is it a meteorite?
No, not even a car
It’s my neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼ light
Blinding me in the night.
Lying on my bed dreaming of the moon
I can see the man! I can see the cow jump!
Alas, instead,
It’s my neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼ light
Protecting his shed from an imaginary goon
Awake, awake, Great Grandma yells
Frantically ringing on her bedside bells!
Danger is near! The bombers are here!
Fear not Gran!
It’s my neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼ light
Pretending to be a roving searchlight!
The ode is written in jest, but for many people, the “It’s my neighbour’s ☠☣⚠‼light” is real and very intrusive and inconsiderate.
Most houses with intrusive outside lights on the outside, have their lights shining directly onto other houses, into their windows, and into the roads. They are not directed lights that point down onto their own properties, but rather flat bulkhead lights that blast out light in every direction.
Some houses have lights so bright that they light up the walls of neighbours’ houses 200m away.
And destroy the enjoyment of the dark skies for neighbours.
Most of these bright-light users claim it is for security. This is pseudo security. These lights, and internal lights left on, are a magnet for the few thieves around. The lights show them that no one is home and create shadows for them to hide in. They also blind people if they look out of their windows.
If you have external lights, I invite you to go out at night or in the early morning.
Have a look at the effect your lights have on your neighbours and drivers on the roads.
Invite your neighbour to test your security – ask them to sneak up to your house and leave a post-it sticker on a window, door, anywhere, and see if you spot them!
If security is really a concern, then look into proper security for the area e.g. beams, security company response, 24-hour monitored cameras or even a guard standing outside.
Besides the inconsiderate effects on your neighbours, there are also environmental effects.
Creatures of the night have eyes designed to function in the dark. To understand what you are doing to them, invite your neighbour over in the evening and while outside, get them to shine their bright LED light in your eyes the whole time.
Please check the light pollution that you home creates. Be considerate to neighbours and kind to the wildlife; turn those ☠☣⚠‼ lights off that disturb them. Replace them with shielded lights, down lights, motions sensors. Look after your neighbour and they will look after you!
For more information about suitable lights, read the BBC light pollution leaflet: https://bettysbayconservancy.co.za/biosphere-living-lighting/
William Davids