'Illuminating' Insights 

Editor:

I read Barry Evans column on light pollution ("Light Pollution," Nov. 23), then I saw Ken Bates' letter (Mailbox, Nov. 30) referring to that particular column and was so grateful for these illuminating (pun intended) insights. I live on a street just inside the Eureka city limits that was before 2008 free of street lights. It was spectacular with stars! I can still see Orion and the Dip, but recently I went on a short camping trip and was reminded of what all I've been missing! It was phenomenal! There were millions (millions!) of stars. There was the Milky Way arching overhead like a diamond and milk rainbow. The Big Dip was more brilliant than I remembered. Ahhh ... the heavens ...

The Journal had an article about the wind turbine project and the development of the port to enable the construction and transport of those turbines ("Port of Entry," July 27). Once I reached the lighting portion of the article, I had to stop because it made me nauseous. Frankly, all of it makes me sick, but this part of it you can't escape. Lights, bright lights, everywhere! My only consolation is that hopefully I will be dead by the time any of this "progress" takes effect ... I'm not kid anymore.

Humboldt is a very special place. The peninsula is beautiful with all its flora and fauna. It should be cherished and preserved as the treasure it is and not turned into the industrial quagmire that is dominating the rest of the "civilized" world. Our lust for energy, which only keeps growing, is devastating. We humans are out of control.

So, thank you, Barry and Ken.

Kathryn Travers, Eureka