It is unfortunate that city and suburban dwellers, especially youngsters living in Phoenix and surrounding areas have lost the ability to see planets and stars in the night sky. The spectacular view our ancestors once had of the night sky rarely exists now. The glow of outdoor lighting that follows urban growth has overwhelmed our view of the stars. This "light pollution" provides no useful light, wastes significant amounts of energy, harms surrounding ecosystems, contributes to carbon dioxide emissions, and threatens astronomical research as well as human health. The problems of light pollution can be solved by utilizing outdoor lighting that is efficient, designed to illuminate the ground for safety and utility, and does not cause blinding glare or energy waste. "Most city skies have become virtually empty of stars." Vernon Klinkenborg "Our Vanishing Night" National Geographic magazine November 2008 |
| The problem of light pollution in Phoenix, AZ |
| PHOENIX DARK SKIES |
| The Milky Way galaxy, only a memory David Wymer |
| Wasted energy |
Approximately 30% of outdoor lighting is wasted due to poor lighting design. Inefficient fixtures, such as mercury vapor light are major contributors to inefficient nighttime lighting. In the United States alone, misdirected lighting costs more than $10 billion annually. Such waste results in the addition of over 35 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to our atmosphere each year. |
| Can you find Phoenix? |
| CONTACT US INTERNATIONAL DARKSKY ASSOCIATION 3225 NORTH FIRST AVE. TUCSON, AZ 85719 USA TEL: 520-293-3198 FAX: 520-293-3192 http://www.darksky.org ida@darksky.org IN PHOENIX Howard Israel Phoenix IDA Section Leader Tel: 480-893-7523 sectionleader@phoenixdarkskies.org |
| Safety and Security |
It is a common myth that bright lights mean we are safer. Ironically, improper lighting can threaten security. Unshielded lights splash illumination outward, casting harsh shadows where criminals can hide and induces glare that obscures visibility. The key to being safe is having effective and efficient lighting that insures good visibility. |
| Bad lighting |
| Good lighting |
| Human Health |
Most life on Earth depends upon circadian rhythms (roughly 24-hour cycle of light and dark) to maintain a healthy biological function. When that natural cycle is disrupted, as during exposure to excessive artificial light at night, biological functions can go awry. In humans, ongoing medical research shows a correlation between excessive exposure to artificial light at night and an increase in the growth of cancer cells, especially breast cancer. "Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself." Vernon Klinkenborg "Our Vanishing Night" National Geographic magazine November 2008 |
| Protecting Wild Life |
Bad lighting can threaten the foraging, mating and migratory behavior of inhabitants of surrounding ecosystems. For example, newly hatched marine turtles are often unable to find their way to the safety of the sea when they become disoriented by misdirected lighting. Thousands of migrating birds die each year in collisions with multi-story buildings left illuminated at night when no one is there. |
| The effects of light pollution on our night sky |
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| Our Mission Our Mission "To preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting" |