Post by Carl LaFong on Feb 2, 2020 14:20:04 GMT
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/02/brighton-stadium-put-that-light-out-plea-all-night-glow
Residents in a south coast beauty spot are taking action against their local football club, saying its efforts to keep the pitch in tip-top condition through the winter are harming the ecosytem.
At Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex stadium, lights and under-soil heaters are left on all night to encourage the grass to grow, and the lights create a glow that campaigners claim can be seen for miles across the South Downs and the city of Brighton.
A petition calling for the club to “put that light out”, organised by artist Steve Geliot, has garnered more than 9,000 signatures. Some signatories are worried about the impact the lights are having on wildlife, particularly insects: one woman claims she can hear birds still singing in her garden at 9pm. Others complain the lights are keeping them awake.
The Premier League club has defended its methods of keeping the turf in a standard condition, saying it is safer for footballers to play on, but Geliot replied that it should look for alternative ways to maintain the grass.
“I really wish Brighton well and recognise that the club does great things for the wider community but surely they can find an alternative? There must be an artificial lighting system where the beams don’t reflect up but are focused down on the pitch,” he said. “At present, this giant splurge of light everywhere must be damaging to wildlife, especially birds and insects, as well as keeping some folk up at night who can’t sleep.”
Residents in a south coast beauty spot are taking action against their local football club, saying its efforts to keep the pitch in tip-top condition through the winter are harming the ecosytem.
At Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex stadium, lights and under-soil heaters are left on all night to encourage the grass to grow, and the lights create a glow that campaigners claim can be seen for miles across the South Downs and the city of Brighton.
A petition calling for the club to “put that light out”, organised by artist Steve Geliot, has garnered more than 9,000 signatures. Some signatories are worried about the impact the lights are having on wildlife, particularly insects: one woman claims she can hear birds still singing in her garden at 9pm. Others complain the lights are keeping them awake.
The Premier League club has defended its methods of keeping the turf in a standard condition, saying it is safer for footballers to play on, but Geliot replied that it should look for alternative ways to maintain the grass.
“I really wish Brighton well and recognise that the club does great things for the wider community but surely they can find an alternative? There must be an artificial lighting system where the beams don’t reflect up but are focused down on the pitch,” he said. “At present, this giant splurge of light everywhere must be damaging to wildlife, especially birds and insects, as well as keeping some folk up at night who can’t sleep.”
