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The Twin Cities Green Guide: COMMUNITY: Outdoor Lighting Page I of2 <br />main \ ^ I <br />CATEGORIES j <br />0EeoD <br />|fX£;4 fp|Oi? <br />^ THe TV///S ClTiej <br />ieee mae <br />^,0 <br />Ip <br />SEARC] <br />0 HOUSE a. HOME <br />0CABDE(UNfi <br />0DO-tT.YOURSELF <br />Q ENERGY <br />Quealim <br />^FAMILY <br />0 COMMUNITY <br />©ARTS <br />0 TRANSPORTATION <br />0 RECREATION <br />^ENVIRONMENT <br />0 BUSINESS <br />CITIZEN ACTION <br />0 MEDIA <br />0 EDUCATION <br />^coMiTONmr <br />f articles <br />CO'QR Housing <br />QO-HOVSinO <br />Cultural Diyorsijy. <br />Be.vi3iopme.Ql <br />Eco-Villages <br />Homelessness <br />Housing <br />Neighbors & Communily <br />Neighborhoods <br />Outdoor Lighting <br />Suburbs <br />Tenant's. Rights <br />Resotirees <br />••• • • ■••»•••••««*«• <br />1 ill <br />* I <br />Find green businesses <br />and organizations! <br />• COMMUNITY GREEN <br />pac.es <br />• Complete GREEN <br />PACES <br />BOOKS <br />Outdoor Lighting Manual: <br />Publication »00 95-308. <br />May 1996. Order: 301-490- <br />2188 <br />Lighting for Exterior <br />Environments: #RP-33- <br />99. Order: 212-248-5000 <br />ext.112 <br />Get The Guide <br />|ntr()^ucti9n tg.Jhe GMide <br />FfirJQCLCOfPntunitY. 9v <br />tQfi-CoflmunitY <br />About.U# <br />Coniaima <br />Howjs Ubtt.XhisLSiie <br />D.enriLtieM <br />CONTACTS <br />Minnesota International <br />Dark Sky Association <br />Tine Thevenm <br />RR4 Box 62B <br />Lake City, MN 55041 <br />651-345*4755 <br />tmdli <br />International Dark Sky <br />Association <br />520-293-3198 <br />Erna.il <br />WobS'to <br />Outdoor Lighting <br />Association <br />515-233-0117 <br />Typical Outdoor Lighting Needs a Major <br />Overhaul <br />-Tine Thevenm. Internattona! DarkSky Assocation <br />®P/intalj!5L Version <br />Few of us give much thought to outdoor lighting because it is <br />all around us; on our streets and parking lots, barn yards and <br />buildings. We feet safer with lights and have come to depend <br />on them. Outdoor lights give us a feeling of security against <br />personal attack and vandalism. They provide visibility so that <br />we can see where we are walking, find our car in the parking <br />lot, find the entrance to the building, and illuminate nighttirre <br />activities. As the population expands, so does outdoor lighting <br />However, the problems with typical outdoor lighting are <br />numerous: <br />• Decreased visibility, confusion and blinding because of <br />glare <br />• Wasted energy <br />• Unwelcome light shining In our homos <br />• Global pollution from wasted energy <br />• Reduction in the number of stars we see <br />The solution: Quality lights and fixtures <br />The benefits of quality outdoor lighting: <br />• Greater visibility and security: With reduced glare Dur eyes <br />adjust to the light of the whole area, not only the brightly lit <br />area. Therefore visibility in shadows increases. <br />• Reduced vandalism: Vandals want and need light to work <br />their destruction <br />• Money saved: It Is estimated that the U.S. wastes $2 billion <br />annually in lighting the sky with unshielded and excessive <br />outdoor lights Lower wattage bulbs can be used with full cut­ <br />off fixture.** which are designed with a reflective surface behind <br />the bulb Savings can be as great as 30-45%. <br />• Safer driving: Public hazards are created by glaring, high- <br />wattage lights along roadways and in business parking lots. <br />• Reduction of dangerous pollutants that add to climate <br />change, crop recuction. fish kills, and health problems such as <br />respiratory ailments. <br />• Restful sleep; Artificial night lights may contribute to sleep <br />problems and otner health problems. <br />• Communily image is enhanced: Less visual dutter. <br />• Environmentally friendly to wildlife: Shielding, reducing or <br />eliminating night lights reduce tragedies of wildlife fatally <br />attracted to artificial lights, such as migrating birds and moths. <br />htto:/M’'\Av.the2reencuidc.ora'article/communitv/outdoor 11/1/2004