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Light Pollution. The Costs of Poorly Implemented Outdoor Lighting. Light Pollution. Purpose of Lighting What is Light Pollution? Light Pollution’s Effects How to Stop Light Pollution What’s Stopping Us?. Purposes of Lighting. Safety Security Navigation Decoration Advertising.
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Light Pollution The Costs of Poorly Implemented Outdoor Lighting
Light Pollution Purpose of Lighting What is Light Pollution? Light Pollution’s Effects How to Stop Light Pollution What’s Stopping Us?
Purposes of Lighting • Safety • Security • Navigation • Decoration • Advertising
Light Pollution What is it?
Light Pollution—What is it? • Glare • Uplight • Light Trespass • Overlighting • Inefficiency
Light Pollution Why is it bad?
Why is Light Pollution Bad? Safety Security Social Waste Pollution Health Effects Ecological Effects
Light Pollution—Safety • Reduced visual acuity • Recovery time • Overlighting
Light Pollution—Security • Reduces fear • Reduces crime ??
Light Pollution—Social • Neighbor-neighbor tension • Resident complaints • Extreme behaviors
Light Pollution—Waste • 30% of light wasted • $5,000,000,000+ per year wasted
Light Pollution—Pollution • 62 billion kWh = 40 million tons of CO2 = 1.4 million tons SO2 = 1.1 million tons NO • Every kilowatt used causes release of: • 1.3 pounds CO2 • 2 grams sulfur dioxide • 1.6 grams nitric oxide selene-ny.org/lightcost.asp
Light Pollution—Human Health • Air pollution related problems • Melatonin suppression • Sleep disruption
Light Pollution—Animals • Birds • Amphibians • Fish • Insects
Light Pollution—Plants • Water quality • Trees • Plants
Light Pollution What can be done?
Light Pollution—What can we do? • Technical Requirements • Implementation
Light Pollution—Technical • Proper shielding
Light Pollution—Technical • Proper shielding • Amount of light www.darksky.org/infoshts/is077.html • Curfews • Lamp type • Don’t light
Light Pollution—Implementation • Master plan • Zoning/Planning Board policy • Local law/ordinance • State law
Light Pollution What’s holding us back?
Light Pollution—Impediments • Lack of education • Vested and ulterior interests • “We’ve always done it that way” • Poorly written laws and policies
More information • www.selene-ny.org • www.darksky.org • www.darkskysociety.org