 Our night sky's are growing brighter as the days pass. The International Dark Sky Association (IDA) is an organization who's main purpose is to educate and create awareness for the importance of dark skies and the reduction of Light Pollution. In the most recent IDA news letter they passed on some Dark Sky updates explaining Dark Sky concerns across the globe. So, I thought they were interesting enough to relay to our readers.
Turn Off the Lights
an article by Kang Chan-soo, South Korea, 23 January, 2009
In recent years, more and more lights have been turned on to create vibrant cityscapes. As we develop technology designed to shed light only where it's necessary, we can reduce light pollution as we wish...
Dark Sky for Health
Light at Night May Boost Risk of Prostate Cancer
an article by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, Jerusalem Post - Israel, 24 January, 2009
In the first stage of research, it was clearly found that there was a connection between artificial illumination and electricity consumption at night and prostate cancer...
Dark Sky Lighting to Reduce Energy Consumption
Lights May Go Out to Cut Power Bills
Leicester Mercury - Leicester, England, UK, 02 February, 2009
Every other street light in Leicester could be switched off and areas of the county plunged into darkness to tackle soaring electricity bills...
Street Lights to be Switched Off
by Reg Little, The Oxford Times - Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK, 29 January, 2009 About 300 street lights are to be switched off as part of a controversial county council plan to cut Oxfordshire's carbon emissions
Street Light Switch-off Could Cut Bills in Half
Bath Chronicle - Bath, England, UK, 28 January, 2009
The issue was raised at a council cabinet meeting earlier this month and Cllr Shirley Steel (Con, Midsomer Norton) said the scheme could conserve energy by saving electricity as well as having financial benefits for the council...
Dark Sky and Light Pollution our only Night Sky Protection
Dark Sky Initiative Targets Light Pollution
by Alyssa Burnham, High River Times - High River, Alberta, Canada, 24 January, 2009
The Dark Skies initiative aims to mitigate light pollution within MD borders and minimize the adverse effects of lighting on the night sky...
I hope these Dark Sky articles help keep you up to date with the decline in our romantic dark starry nights.
|
 Article created on Feb 11 by colby
 Comments: [2]
 Link
|
|
Question. There were some break-ins in my neighborhood this past year, so I want to install some outdoor security lighting which can also be used when entertaining. What are my options and which outdoor light fixtures are energy efficient?
Answer. Installing outdoor lighting is one method of reducing the risk of nighttime break-ins, but it should be planned with a variety issues in mind. Most outdoor lighting consumes a lot of electricity, contributes to global warming, and creates problems for nocturnal wild life. Also, in many major cities outdoor lighting contributes to vast amounts of light pollution making it difficult to enjoy a starry night. More information about light pollution and it's effects can be found at IDA
What Makes a Good Energy and Environmentally Efficient Outdoor Light?
The keys to energy and environmentally efficient outdoor lighting are selecting the proper type of bulb, light fixture design and shortest on-time period. Using just two 150-watt floodlights at night can increase your electric bills by up to $100.00 per year. With fixed floodlights, would-be thieves can often figure a way to get around them.
 In areas where you will not need the lighting for entertaining, install motion-sensing light fixtures or add-on motion-sensing switches. This greatly reduces the amount of on-time, increases the bulb life and reduces light pollution. Since the light is not on when the intruder arrives, he does not know to avoid it until it switches on from his movement. This generally scares him away.
For areas where you want the outdoor lighting for both security and entertaining, select fixtures which direct the lighting downward in the specific areas needed. This minimizes light pollution in the night sky and may allow you to use lower wattage bulbs to save electricity. Add-on shields are available for existing floodlights you have already have.
 As you would indoors, use fluorescent tubes and CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) outdoors. These are four times more energy efficient than standard incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer. The light quality is now available in similar color rendition.
Some CFL's may not perform properly in temperatures under 32 degrees. If you find this to be a problem, use halogen bulbs or LEDs. Halogen bulbs are not as efficient as CFL's or LED's, but they are 15 percent more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs and last twice as long. Halogen bulbs produce a very white light which is excellent when entertaining and it may enhance the appearance of your landscaping.
 Although they are substantially more expensive to install, LPS (low pressure sodium) outdoor lighting fixtures are very efficient. They use less than 15 percent as much electricity as incandescent bulbs. The only drawback is that they take time to heat up and come to full brightness and the light is a no chromatic yellow.
The newest most expensive outdoor lighting uses LED light bulbs. These LED's use much less energy and last up to 50,000 hours. They main problems are low light levels and cost.
|
Article created on Oct 31 by colby
Comments: [0]
Link
|
Lights Out America is a nationwide energy conservation event on March 29, 2008. On this night, they invite the entire nation to turn off all non-essential lighting for one hour. Participating cities: Atlanta, Boston, Boulder, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Show your support for starlight! Wherever in the world you are on October 20, 2007, join the citizens of San Francisco and Los Angeles when they turn off their nonessential lights for one hour – An event of Lights Out San Francisco and Lights Out Los Angeles, supported by IDA and many others. |
Article created on Oct 16 by colby
Comments: [0]
Link
|
|
We all should know that asteroids are continually traveling through space usually at a rate of twice the speed of a bullet with no certain destination. In the recent past small asteriods have had direct impact with the earth and larger astriods have had near misses. These asteriods are from the size of a pebble to the size of 18 miles in diameter or larger. These asteriods also have different types of density some are hard (identified with their fast rotation speed) and some are porous (identified by their slow rotation speed).
Being able to see and identify these astriods is imperative to understanding how to destroy them if the Earth is in their direct path. Mainly because a direct hit by a large asteriod could devastate our planet as we know it. This is where the International Dark-Sky Association efforts have a great impact on future asteriod threats to our society.
Why Reduce Light Pollution?
This is only one of the reasons why reducing our Light Pollution is so important. Light Pollution makes it more difficult to for NASA scientists to view these asteriods with their powerful telescopes. A sky clear not needed lighting would allow NASA to view the density of these asteriods.
Tests have proven that hard asteriods can be destroyed by a direct hit with the appropriate missile but the more porous asteriods would absorb the blow and continue its path possibly the Earth. Light Pollution affects us more than we know.
How Can You Help Reduce Your Light Pollution?
Lighting manufactures are continually making Dark-Sky rated lighting products to reduce Light Pollution. One of the most Dark-Sky and Energy Star conscious lighting manufactures is the Minka Group Lighting Family. Minka Outdoor Lighting has three Dark Sky compliant families of lighting.
These lighting fixtures can easily replace existing exterior fixtures in minutes to help reduce the over abundance of light pollution. Every little bit we can do to help ensures a better world for our children and our children's children.
|
Article created on May 02 by colby
Comments: [0]
Link
|
|
Most people do not think about the stars when they are putting together a lighting package for their home. As time passes and more homes are built, more lights are added to those homes and more light is added to the sky. All of this light pollution takes stars from our skys every day. If you have ever flown in an airplane you have seen how our home lights leak into the sky.
What is being done to police lighting pollution?
Not enough! There are organizations world wide that play a big part in trying to control the growing rate of light abuse in our night skies. So many people are unaware of light pollution and how it effects insects, animals and our own eyes wishing to see the beauty of the stars. These effects go deeper than just our needs now but to the creatures and children of the future.
The International Dark-Sky Association and how they help
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is an organization that has lead the fight against energy waste and light pollution since 1988. The IDA is based out of Arizona the home of the Grand Canyon land in its most beautiful form. There main focus is to inform and educate members and the public of the following effects.
- Light pollution on dark skies
- Air and water pollution from energy waste
- Harm to human health
- Harm to nocturnal wildlife
- Less safety and security
- Less nighttime visibility
- Less starry nights
- Raise awareness of light pollution
- Raise awareness of these issues
- Educate the values of efficient outdoor lighting
- Help stop other threats such as radio frequency interference and space debris
They are also a portal to all the other similar organizations around the world, light pollution forums, outdoor lighting installation guides, lighting issues and lighting laws. All these links are found on the IDA resources page.
You can participate in IDA's rating lighting installations program. This program allows the IDA to gather information about how the average person is educated on light pollution. This is an easy 3 to 5 minute exercise that will assist the IDA with there fight against light pollution.
What type of light fixtures are Dark-Sky approved?
Dark-Sky approved light fixtures have received a Fixture Seal of Approval from the IDA. This approval is only given to light fixtures that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and don’t pollute the night sky. The Minka Group is a supplier of full line of Dark-Sky approved outdoor light fixtures. The Minka Lavery Outdoor light fixtures come in a variety of styles and finishes.
Our night skies are precious to everything that experiences them. As individuals we can make a difference by educating ourselves and the people around us about light pollution and how to reduce it. Take an hour to do a little research and if you have a little extra cash donate it to the remaining stars worth fighting for.
Read more about Dark Sky Lighting
|
Article created on Mar 14 by colby
Comments: [0]
Link
|
|
About Us
BlogLighting.com is an information resource to help people solve and troubleshoot there lighting and ceiling fan problems and current information on the best lighting and ceiling fan manufacturers.
|
|
