Posted by Paul Anderson on Dec 05, 2017
 
Mark McDaniel, City Manager, introduces Cliff Kaplan, Program Manager for the Hill Country Alliance, who spoke to the group concerning the preservation of our night skies.
 
 
Cliff started his presentation by informing the club that four out of five people in this country have now lost their view of the Milky Way due to pervasive light pollution.  Light pollution is excessive and inappropriate artificial light. The four components of light pollution are often combined and overlapping:
  • Urban sky glow—the brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas.
  • Light trespass—light falling where it is not intended, wanted, or needed.
  • Glare— excessive brightness which causes visual discomfort. High levels of glare can decrease visibility.
  • Clutter—bright, confusing, and excessive groupings of light sources, commonly found in over-lit urban areas. The proliferation of clutter contributes to urban sky glow, trespass, and glare.
This map shows the varying degrees of light pollution we face here in the Texas Hill Country:
 
The adverse effects of light pollution extend beyond the study of our night skies. 
 
  • New research suggests that light at night may interfere with normal circadian rhythms—the 24-hour cycle of day and night that humans have used to maintain health and regulate their activities for thousands of years. Light pollution has also been linked to sleep disorders, cancer, and other health issues.
 
  • Wildlife, too, is harmed by the unnecessary brightening of the night. From newly hatched sea turtles to migrating birds, fish, frogs, salamanders, and lighting bugs, artificial night lighting disrupts the cycles of nocturnal creatures in potentially devastating ways. While research is still ongoing, it is becoming apparent that both bright days and dark nights are necessary to maintain healthy hormone production, cell function, and brain activity, as well as normal feeding, mating, and migratory behavior for many species.
 
  • Our eyes, when dark-adapted, have good natural capacity in low-light situations. But when nightscapes are over-lit, eyes never have a chance to become dark-adapted, and areas adjacent to brightly lit areas become impenetrable, reducing safety. Some communities have experienced a decrease in crime by reducing or eliminating nighttime lighting in appropriate areas. Over-lighting the night neither improves visibility nor increases nighttime safety, utility, security, or ambiance.
 
  • Light pollution wastes money and energy. Billions of dollars are spent on unnecessary lighting every year in the United States alone, with over $2.2 billion going directly into the nighttime sky via unshielded outdoor lights. The cost jumps to $3 billion (including $250M for Texas) when lost revenues from a decrease in tourism dollars are factored into the equation as well.  Astro Tourism is a rapidly growing industry in the Hill Country (families staying overnight typically spend 3/4 times more than they otherwise would on a day trip), and this is just one more reason we need to work to protect the integrity of our Hill Country skies.    
 
Practical actions we can take to reduce light pollution:
 
  • Use light only when and where it’s needed - Turn off lights when they are not needed and create a curfew for lights-out. Minimize interim light use with timers and motion detectors.
  • Use only as much light as needed. Over lighting reduces the eye’s ability to see outside of the lit area. In addition, excess light can produce glare, which also reduces visibility. Selecting the correct lamp wattage for your needs increases safety and reduces costs.
  • Shine lights down, not up. A well-designed fixture will direct the light where it’s needed most—at the ground. Select new fixtures that are fully shielded; retrofit or replace poor quality fixtures. For more information on selecting dark-sky friendly fixtures, refer to IDA’s Web site and the fixtures featured in the IDA Fixture Seal of Approval program.
  • Use efficient light sources for outdoor lighting around homes and businesses. Consider a compact fluorescent for good, energy efficient, economical lighting—a low-wattage lamp gives plenty of light for most properties and applications, and in a fully shielded fixture, it makes an excellent choice. When higher wattage lamps are necessary, be sure that they are fully shielded and energy efficient.
  • Learn the facts about light pollution - Learn how to recognize fixtures that are well-designed, dark sky friendly and efficient. IDA is the leading authority on the problems and solutions related to light pollution, and IDA’s Web site (www.darksky.org) is a great educational resource.
  • See illustrations below for examples of recommended lighting: 
 
Other ways we can protect our Hill Country Skies:
  • Through Education
    • Star Parties (i.e. Texas Night Sky Festival)
    • Schools (i.e. Schreiner Observatory) & Scouts
    • Public presentations and conferences
  • Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition Programs
  • Resolutions & Ordinances
    • Seven County Resolutions Adopted
      • Bandera, Blanco, Burnet, Kerr, Kimble, Real, Uvalde
    • Twelve Other Outdoor Lighting Ordinances Adopted
      • Blanco, Boerne, Bulverde, Fredericksburg, Llano, Mason, Horseshoe Bay, Johnson City, Kyle, Wimberley, Westlake Hills, San Antonio
  • Donate
    • Established in 1988, the International Dark-Sky Association is an educational, environmental 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting. With over thousands of members in more than 70 countries, IDA relies on contributions from concerned citizens like you who become members, donate, or make us a part of their planned giving portfolios.
Next Steps for the Kerrville Community:
  •  Deeper Dive & Action Planning Meeting
    • Thursday, January 11th, 7pm at the Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St.
  • Develop Partnerships
    • Schreiner, Chamber of Commerce, City of Kerrville, KPUB, KISD, Retailers, Builders
Let's come together and protect our night skies!!
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