And take your findings, observations and concerns to authorities -- city councillors, lighting bureaus, utilities charged with lighting the streets. There are modern, efficient technologies that offer the chance to greatly improve urban night environments with clear, white light, at relatively low cost. But like most of us, those in now charge prefer the evil they know, both in terms of practice and technology. So it is up to citizens to push for change.

Various groups have proved much can be achieved. Astronomers, who coined the term "light pollution" to describe the blocking out of the stars by excessive outdoor lighting, have persuaded the legislatures of several states, including Arizona, Massachusetts and Maine, to severely limit brightness and put restrictions on fixtures that spill excess light upward into the sky. Star gazers' needs are not all the same as pedestrians, and there are areas of disagreement over which light sources are best, but the basic principle -- that there is a need for more considered use of light -- is shared.

Continue