International Dark-Sky Association

Light Pollution: How Seeing the Stars will

Save You Moneyand possibly save your life if

you are femaleDr. Harold Williams

Montgomery College Planetariumlocated at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring

Campus http://montgomerycollege.edu/Departmennts/planet

International Dark-Sky Association

What Is It?

• The Night Around Us.– Our Communities.

• The Night Above Us. Dark skies.

International Dark-Sky Association

The Bottom Line on “Why”• For a functional, comfortable, and

beautiful nighttime environment.

• For an environment friendly to:– humans, including the aging eye,– wildlife,– plants,– the night sky.

International Dark-Sky Association

Where to light and when?

• Only where it is needed.– Avoid obtrusive light.– No wasted light or energy.

• Only when needed.

International Dark-Sky Association

How much light?

• The myth of The More the Better.– Use IESNA or CIE recommended

levels.

• Environmental lighting zones.– Consider the location where you are.

• Use good transition lighting.

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North America at Night

International Dark-Sky Association

Really Bad LightBad Mercury Vapor Light (not very energy efficient) with Glaring Drop Lens (bad for people with cataracts driving at night) on the street that I live in on, burning during the day time (wasting more energy).  Not full cut off, it shines in peoples bedrooms, light trust-pass, at night increasing the risk of Breast Cancer, by disrupting circadian rhythm.. Picture taken around 8AM of March 8, 2011.

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Poor security lighting,using an old fashion 175 watt mercury fixture

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Almost a definition of light trespass, at an installation in San Francisco, but could be in Silver Spring.

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Glare from a walkway light.

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Glare, luminance overload, bad transition lighting

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Why so much bad lighting ?

• Lack of awareness.– Even in the lighting community.– Builders, contractors, owners,

operators.– The public. Governmental staff.

• Apathy, or inertia.

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Keys to Quality Lighting

See the effect, not the source.Shine the light down.No glare!Light only where and when needed.Don’t over light.Use energy efficient sources.

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Use of a full cut-off fixture for a parking lot

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A good antique (or period lighting) fixture, full cut-off

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Here is another good example,using lighting fixtures with good control of the light output.

International Dark-Sky Association

So …• It works, right? It’s common

sense.

• Use only good lighting!

• Let’s fix the bad stuff!

• Educate everyone; build allies.

Your Sixth Sense!

• Melanopsin• Suprachiasmatic nucleus• Pineal gland• Melatonin

Melatonin C13H16N2O2

Eye

Some demographic evidence

• Artificial lighting in the industrialized world: circadian disruption and breast cancer by Richard G. Stevens in Cancer Causes Control (2006) 17:501–507

• LIGHT AT NIGHT CO-DISTRIBUTES WITH INCIDENT BREAST BUT NOT LUNG CANCER IN THE FEMALE POPULATION OF ISRAEL in Chronobiology International, 25(1): 65–81, (2008) by Itai Kloog, Abraham Haim, Richard G. Stevens, Micha Barchana, and Boris A. Port

International Dark-Sky Association

Some Other Issues

• Visibility• Safety and security• The aging and disabled eye• Human health, and animals and

plants.• Energy• We all win!

International Dark-Sky Association

IDA• The International Dark-Sky

Association

• Newsletter.• Information sheets. Images.

Slides.• CD’s, videos, and so on.• Web site: www.darksky.org

• Join IDA ! We need you.

International Dark-Sky Association

IDA’s Goals

• To preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark-skies through quality outdoor lighting.

• Membership based. Over 10,000 members, from all the states and 70 other countries. 500 organizations.

International Dark-Sky Association

International Dark-Sky Association

• 3225 N First Avenue• Tucson AZ 85719 USA

• 520-293-3198 Fax: 520-293-3192

• ida@darksky.org• www.darksky.org

Recent State of Maryland movement for good environmentally

responsible lighting

• Maryland General Assembly Roadway Lighting Bill HB816 new (very good legislation). The honorable Alfred Carr email who introduced this house bill. State Senator Jenny Forehand has introduced a companion bill in the Maryland Senate: SB891 (some more information on this bill, too).

• Maryland Outdoor Lighting Task Force Report from 2001 Maryland Outdoor Lighting Task force report.

Some good local Montgomery County lighting laws that have not

passed yet

• Outdoor Lighting Standards Established Bill No. 4-07.pdf, not yet passed as far as I can see.

• Zoning Text Amendment in Montgomery County 07-01.pdf, not yet passed as far as I can see.

• How come? If you can find out please tell me!