Light Pollution and Sensible Lighting Alternatives

One of the 28 best practices developed for the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. Includes rationale for change, best practices, and implementation suggestions.

Defines light pollution and makes twelve specific recommendations to ameliorate the light pollution problem. A survey of known governmental mandates for outdoor lighting is included, as are references and a brief treatment of the basis for the recommendations.

From the McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas.

2023 report from the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission about mitigating light pollution in the county.

Timeline of IDA successes.

In recent years, the increase in oil and gas activity in the Permian Basin has resulted in an increase in light pollution that threatens the dark skies. Through a campaign of education and awareness, the McDonald Observatory’s Dark Skies Initiative seeks to protect the beautiful, Milky Way-filled night skies of West Texas for ongoing astronomical research and education. The Observatory created Recommended Lighting Practices for oil and gas operations in the following Texas counties that have lighting ordinances: Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio, and Reeves.