"I wanna see stars." Steve said.
That was his answer to the question, "what's the most important thing you're looking for in your home search?"
His answer struck for a variety of reasons.
First, I recall seeing stars as a kid. I'd just seen the movie "Mary Poppins".
I took my mom's new umbrella to the roof.
Jumped off.
You can guess the rest.
The umbrella inverted and I sunk like a rock... landing flat-footed- then rolling... I discovered what it feels like to have the wind knocked out of you. Stars spun 'round my vista like furious fire-flies.
But this wasn't what Steve was talking about. Here's how he explained it:
"When I was young we lived in town. The main drag had a few high powered street lights. My bedroom always had a faint glow. Then we moved to the outskirts. Our first day in the new home was marred by one thing- it was summer and we had no electricity yet. So, we slept outdoors- under the stars. On that first night I couldn't sleep. I was caught up in the beauty of the universe and wondered about my place in it. Any time I'm dealing with a perplexing issue I like to re-create that night. I go outside. Flop myself down and look at the night sky. Soon enough my thoughts form themselves and I know how to tackle the situations before me. So... you can see my predicament. Sure- I can see the night sky. But with all this light pollution surrounding us I need to find that place away from the street lights. Can you find me a home that let's me see the stars?"
In an instant I knew what he was talking about.
As a 12 year old I had a paper route. I lived on a military base and many of my subscribers were pilots. I found if I delivered the papers before 4 a.m. the pilots would be able to read the paper before flight training. This act- the early delivery led to many tips- the bonus of good service.
If you've ever seen the sky at 3 a.m., the stars are piercing and the sky serene. As I peddled from one house ot the next I couldn't help but think about the universe and my place in it.
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Steve is not alone. There's a growing concern by citizens of the industrial nations of the world. There's a "dark sky movement" about... people are trying to fight the effects of light pollution. The abundance of light we humans desire has a consequence... from the practical to the poetic:
- Man-made light is a drain on energy reserves.
- City observatories (such as Griffith's Observatory in Los Angeles) are rendered useless for astronomy. (See comments section for further clarification.)
- The sense of wonder derived from seeing the stars is being lost on each generation.
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Phoenix is a major city.
Anyone driving into the valley may (depending on the route) see the light of the city an hour before arrival.
This does not mean the stars can not be seen.
Several new neighborhoods on the outskirts have light-reduction ordinances.
In these neighborhoods lighting is kept to a minimum.
Some don't like this... for them street lights mean less crime... higher safety.
I understand these concerns.
However- there is the flip side.
In such homes you can go out back.
Flop down on the cool ground.
Look up into the expanse of the night sky.
Let the day give way.
And experience the wonder of this world.
And your place in it.
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Chuck Willman is a real estate agent based in the Phoenix metro area. He can be found at NewHomesAZ.com.
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