h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi everyone,
I'm so pleased to be able vent my views on the internet about the problem of UK light pollution.
I am a keen amateur astronomer who loves the stars. I am greatly saddened by the loss of the starry night in UK urban areas such as where I live. 30 years ago, I could easily see thousands of stars and the MIlky Way. This gave me my interest in astronomy and shaped my future life. Now I work for the Campaign for Dark Skies as a local light pollution officer, voluntarily using up a lot of my spare time talking to children in the school where I work about light pollution and astronomy and the wonders of the night sky, writing letters to my planning authority to get them to install full cut off lamps. I am having an exhibition on light pollution in my local library soon to raise public awareness and I would like to have a petition on it as well. I wish so much for the stars to return but feel our Government still do not recognize skyglow as a problem to be tackled with legislation. They think only education is enough. Well it jolly well isn't enough. The powers that be need to act now to reduce light pollution as in 10 years time I think we shall see no more stars at all. What is the point of our children learning about space and the universe if they can't go out in their garden and see it for themselves? The Governments answer is that they can log on to the Ango-Australian telescope and see dark skies on the computer. Well, I'm sorry but this will never move their soul. The only way to love the night sky is to see it for real. We have a birthright to see the stars. The sky should be a site for scientific interest. Existing dark sky sites like Exmoor and Mid/North Wales should be protected like the National Parks are. I could go on for ages and will never stop in the fight against UK light pollution until I see things improving.
Dave.