How bright is the sky where you live? What type of lighting is most suitable for our cities? The Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) will be on the street asking these and other questions, in a survey that aims to know the perception of the Madeiran population on the topics of light pollution and energy efficiency, and which can also respond online here.
The conclusions of this survey will be taken into account in the municipal plans for public lighting, allowing these documents to be really adjusted to the reality of each of the municipalities. Following the example of the municipalities of Santa Cruz and Machico, Public Lighting Master Plans are currently being drawn up in Funchal, Câmara de Lobos and Santana. These documents govern the implementation and management of public lighting – from street lamps to the lighting of monuments and public buildings – defining guidelines that will make it possible to reduce energy waste, implement more effective and better targeted technical solutions, and reconcile public lighting with the protection of endangered species.
The survey is carried out in collaboration with the Municipal Councils of Santana, Machico, Santa Cruz, Funchal and Câmara de Lobos, who also request the collaboration of their citizens to give their opinion. Each of these municipalities aims to reach at least 5 to 10% of its resident population, which corresponds to a minimum of around 9000 surveys answered.
Minimum number of surveys required, per municipality
In order to consult the largest possible number of Madeirans, SPEA and partners are also looking for volunteers to carry out face-to-face surveys of the population of each municipality. In addition to training on the impacts of light pollution, volunteers will also receive an ambassador’s credential “for a night alive”, a t-shirt and a certificate of participation. If you are interested and available, sign up here.
