Letters to the Editor 11-01-1999
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Lighting - Animal Welfare - Enjoys Photos - Running Stop Signs - Proud Of Band
Lighting
Editor, Times-Union:Over the last two decades Warsaw growth has been increasing at a rapid rate. Along with this growth has been a growing lighting problem from new businesses especially along U.S. 30 East but also all over our area. One might think that such a letter is from someone with too much time on their hands but nothing could be further from the truth and what I would seek is quality lighting in our area. Some of this quality lighting already exists but unfortunately there is a lot of poor lighting. One only needs to drive along 30 to see examples of both. The Holiday Inn incorporated good lighting using fully shielded lights that complements the business. Right next to the Holiday Inn and used by another business is the use of unshielded lighting causing light glare by overhead lights. I am not picking on any business, just the poor lighting. Here is the problem.
Today, more and more lighting manufacturers are making what they call a full cut-off fixture. This means that all light is directed down and to the sides as needed, and is prevented from shining up into the night sky and out into areas not wanted. The result is more light where you want it for less electricity cost. Full cut-off lighting fixtures are required by some cities and towns and Indiana has a group looking to improve night lighting. Bad lighting causes light glare, light trespass, over-lighting and in many cases a safety hazard due to poor illumination of an area and the eyes' inability to quickly change from poor lighting conditions to darker surroundings. Who enjoys a car who leaves their bright lights on?
Besides these conditions it is estimated that it takes one pound of coal to generate a kilowatt of electricity with a byproduct of two pounds of CO2. A business or billboard using four 250-watt metal halide bulbs draws 295 watts x 4 = 1180 watts x 4100 (hours a year) divided by 1000 = 4838 kwh (lbs of coal) and 9676 lbs CO2 per year. This wastes natural resources and affects air quality. Also many businesses use many more times this lighting or light overkill. If one measures the economical effects in dollars wasted, hundreds of thousands of dollars are wasted in the Warsaw area every year!
Also most businesses have lighting for the safety of their customers and to illuminate their business so as to draw customers in at night. On the safety issue, though, a 175-watt dusk-to-dawn security light may give the illusion of safety, because it's so bright, but it is really counterproductive to good vision. A criminal can hide in the glare or in the deep shadows near such poor lighting. (Look around near one. See the deep shadows next to the overlit areas? It is hard for the eye to adapt to such sharp transitions.) Light used for security should be of such a nature that the owner or business owner can see better than the criminal. Using some FBI statistics on lighting there is no real measure of crime reduction but rather a feeling of security. Indeed in some areas where lighting has been installed crime rates have gone up. Perhaps this is a false sense of security with poor lighting. I suggest a study by our elected representatives here in the great city of Warsaw to now address this lighting issue and make Warsaw as attractive at night as it is during the day. I would be glad to explain and help establishing better quality lighting.
Alan Mitterling via e-mail
Animal Welfare
Editor, Times-Union:I am an employee of the Animal Welfare League. The purpose of my letter is to make a plea to the pet owners of this community. My plea is, before you bring in your animal to us, that you try every way possible to get them another home and use us as a last resort. I would like everyone to imagine with me just for a moment ...
Imagine that you are a pet, dog or cat, and it doesn't matter what kind or size. You are with a family and it is great having the comforts of home around you. Every once in a while, you may have an "accident" on the floor or rip a newspaper to shreds. Every pet does that once in a while and so you don't think much of it because you are still a great pet! One day you are put into the family car and you think, "Wow, we are going on a car ride!" Then you pull up to a brown building and you are taken into the front office and all you can hear is dogs barking. One of the employees asks your owner, "May I ask why you don't want your pet anymore?" and their reason is that "he or she smells or rips papers or has an accident on the floor every once in a while." You are vaccinated, put into a cage, given fresh food and water and your wait begins. Day after day someone cleans your cage, gives you fresh food and water and you are given as much love as the person can give when they have to love 200+ more animals, too. It is hard but when everyone works together you get it. People come in and look but you just aren't what they want. Time goes by and every day it is the same routine until one day you give up hope. You stop eating and drinking and then one day you are so depressed that you leave the world and yet another great pet is gone.
Now before everyone gets their pens and pencils going to write back, this doesn't happen very often, but one Sunday it did and I don't want to see another situation like this happen again. Many pets are adopted and given great homes but it seems when one goes out two more come in. So please, before you bring your pet in, try other resources or work with the pet to get the problem resolved. I understand that some people have special situations and they can't find other homes but please still try. Always remember, please have your pet spayed or neutered.
Amber Paseka, Atwood
Enjoys Photos
Editor, Times-Union:I enjoy the nature pictures you have on the front page of the Times-Union.
The Oct. 23 picture by Gary Nieter was so special I had to write and give all of you an A+. Swans are precious in God's creation.
Mary Bundy, Sellers Lake
Running Stop Signs
Editor, Times-Union:I feel that it is important that I inform the public of one of the latest games some of our teens are playing. Have you heard that it is considered "cool" to see how many stop signs can be run to and from school? I know of one person who totaled their pickup truck as one of these teens sped through a stop. Just the other day, my husband was nearly involved in an accident because of this same thing. Fortunately, his recollection of our friend's accident caused him to react in time to swerve.
It is not my intention to pick on "teen drivers." My wish is to inform others to be alert. To parents of children driving to and from school, please remind your childrn to drive safety. We are fortunate that no one has been involved in a fatal accident. I dont want to stand at a casket and say, "If only ..."
Kim Combs
Proud Of Band
Editor, Times-Union:Just a letter to congratulate and commend WCHS' largest and most dedicated team. You should be proud of the season you just completed. It has required a lot of hard work and determination. We have not missed one of your home performances this fall and they have all been terrific! You have performed well during inclement weather and sometimes to a crowd who wasn't paying close attention to your efforts. You have done a great job getting the crowd and the cheerleaders a little more excited, and what player wouldn't be energized by entering the field between your proud ranks hearing the school song being played. After all, it was the Friday Night Band Performance with an intermission of football, wasn't it?
Way to go Tiger's Pride Marching Band, we're very proud of you.
John and Bev Paseka, Warsaw
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- Lighting - Animal Welfare - Enjoys Photos - Running Stop Signs - Proud Of Band
Lighting
Editor, Times-Union:Over the last two decades Warsaw growth has been increasing at a rapid rate. Along with this growth has been a growing lighting problem from new businesses especially along U.S. 30 East but also all over our area. One might think that such a letter is from someone with too much time on their hands but nothing could be further from the truth and what I would seek is quality lighting in our area. Some of this quality lighting already exists but unfortunately there is a lot of poor lighting. One only needs to drive along 30 to see examples of both. The Holiday Inn incorporated good lighting using fully shielded lights that complements the business. Right next to the Holiday Inn and used by another business is the use of unshielded lighting causing light glare by overhead lights. I am not picking on any business, just the poor lighting. Here is the problem.
Today, more and more lighting manufacturers are making what they call a full cut-off fixture. This means that all light is directed down and to the sides as needed, and is prevented from shining up into the night sky and out into areas not wanted. The result is more light where you want it for less electricity cost. Full cut-off lighting fixtures are required by some cities and towns and Indiana has a group looking to improve night lighting. Bad lighting causes light glare, light trespass, over-lighting and in many cases a safety hazard due to poor illumination of an area and the eyes' inability to quickly change from poor lighting conditions to darker surroundings. Who enjoys a car who leaves their bright lights on?
Besides these conditions it is estimated that it takes one pound of coal to generate a kilowatt of electricity with a byproduct of two pounds of CO2. A business or billboard using four 250-watt metal halide bulbs draws 295 watts x 4 = 1180 watts x 4100 (hours a year) divided by 1000 = 4838 kwh (lbs of coal) and 9676 lbs CO2 per year. This wastes natural resources and affects air quality. Also many businesses use many more times this lighting or light overkill. If one measures the economical effects in dollars wasted, hundreds of thousands of dollars are wasted in the Warsaw area every year!
Also most businesses have lighting for the safety of their customers and to illuminate their business so as to draw customers in at night. On the safety issue, though, a 175-watt dusk-to-dawn security light may give the illusion of safety, because it's so bright, but it is really counterproductive to good vision. A criminal can hide in the glare or in the deep shadows near such poor lighting. (Look around near one. See the deep shadows next to the overlit areas? It is hard for the eye to adapt to such sharp transitions.) Light used for security should be of such a nature that the owner or business owner can see better than the criminal. Using some FBI statistics on lighting there is no real measure of crime reduction but rather a feeling of security. Indeed in some areas where lighting has been installed crime rates have gone up. Perhaps this is a false sense of security with poor lighting. I suggest a study by our elected representatives here in the great city of Warsaw to now address this lighting issue and make Warsaw as attractive at night as it is during the day. I would be glad to explain and help establishing better quality lighting.
Alan Mitterling via e-mail
Animal Welfare
Editor, Times-Union:I am an employee of the Animal Welfare League. The purpose of my letter is to make a plea to the pet owners of this community. My plea is, before you bring in your animal to us, that you try every way possible to get them another home and use us as a last resort. I would like everyone to imagine with me just for a moment ...
Imagine that you are a pet, dog or cat, and it doesn't matter what kind or size. You are with a family and it is great having the comforts of home around you. Every once in a while, you may have an "accident" on the floor or rip a newspaper to shreds. Every pet does that once in a while and so you don't think much of it because you are still a great pet! One day you are put into the family car and you think, "Wow, we are going on a car ride!" Then you pull up to a brown building and you are taken into the front office and all you can hear is dogs barking. One of the employees asks your owner, "May I ask why you don't want your pet anymore?" and their reason is that "he or she smells or rips papers or has an accident on the floor every once in a while." You are vaccinated, put into a cage, given fresh food and water and your wait begins. Day after day someone cleans your cage, gives you fresh food and water and you are given as much love as the person can give when they have to love 200+ more animals, too. It is hard but when everyone works together you get it. People come in and look but you just aren't what they want. Time goes by and every day it is the same routine until one day you give up hope. You stop eating and drinking and then one day you are so depressed that you leave the world and yet another great pet is gone.
Now before everyone gets their pens and pencils going to write back, this doesn't happen very often, but one Sunday it did and I don't want to see another situation like this happen again. Many pets are adopted and given great homes but it seems when one goes out two more come in. So please, before you bring your pet in, try other resources or work with the pet to get the problem resolved. I understand that some people have special situations and they can't find other homes but please still try. Always remember, please have your pet spayed or neutered.
Amber Paseka, Atwood
Enjoys Photos
Editor, Times-Union:I enjoy the nature pictures you have on the front page of the Times-Union.
The Oct. 23 picture by Gary Nieter was so special I had to write and give all of you an A+. Swans are precious in God's creation.
Mary Bundy, Sellers Lake
Running Stop Signs
Editor, Times-Union:I feel that it is important that I inform the public of one of the latest games some of our teens are playing. Have you heard that it is considered "cool" to see how many stop signs can be run to and from school? I know of one person who totaled their pickup truck as one of these teens sped through a stop. Just the other day, my husband was nearly involved in an accident because of this same thing. Fortunately, his recollection of our friend's accident caused him to react in time to swerve.
It is not my intention to pick on "teen drivers." My wish is to inform others to be alert. To parents of children driving to and from school, please remind your childrn to drive safety. We are fortunate that no one has been involved in a fatal accident. I dont want to stand at a casket and say, "If only ..."
Kim Combs
Proud Of Band
Editor, Times-Union:Just a letter to congratulate and commend WCHS' largest and most dedicated team. You should be proud of the season you just completed. It has required a lot of hard work and determination. We have not missed one of your home performances this fall and they have all been terrific! You have performed well during inclement weather and sometimes to a crowd who wasn't paying close attention to your efforts. You have done a great job getting the crowd and the cheerleaders a little more excited, and what player wouldn't be energized by entering the field between your proud ranks hearing the school song being played. After all, it was the Friday Night Band Performance with an intermission of football, wasn't it?
Way to go Tiger's Pride Marching Band, we're very proud of you.
John and Bev Paseka, Warsaw
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