Highlands Naturalist
Highlands County, Florida, USA

Private Military Training Center STOPPED! More info at:
AND the No Eagle Training Center website.


"Around the world, the night sky is vanishing in a fog of artificial light, which a coalition of naturalists, astronomers and medical researchers consider one of the fastest growing forms of pollution, with consequences
for wildlife, people's health -- and the human spirit. A natural nightscape has become as rare as an unspoiled wilderness.

 
(quoted from National Geographic Magazine; "Our Vanishing Night” – Front Cover)


Highlands County view from Google Earth - with Light Pollution Layer showing current situation. (Wasted light = wasted energy and disruption to the environment.) Also note some VERY DARK areas. These dark places NEED TO BE PRESERVED! Many environmentally sensative places are also WITHIN the badly light polluted areas! 




Here are some links to recent studies and articles that EVERY RESPONSIBLE ADULT should be aware of concerning lighting at night.....

Florida Fish & Wildlife's page on Light Pollution and Wildlife

How light pollution effects the environment - Ecology of the Night (Ecology of the Night - The Muskoka Heritage Foundation's Conference)

Ecology of the Night Speaker - Chad Moore, program manager US National Park Service

Ecology of the Night Speaker - Terry Dickinson

Ecology of the Night Speaker - Bryant Buchanan

Study on Green Light for Nocturnally Migrating Birds ; Ecology and Society

Exterior Lighting, Statutory Nuisance and Light Pollution Conference

The Uban Wildlands Group and UCLA Institute of the Enviornment

The Bat Conservation Trust, Threats to Bats

Light Pollution Killing Birds

Light Pollution Confusing Wildlife


Flood Light Blindness!!!
Flood Light Positioning Angles - An "Eye-Opening" Demo!

Full Cut-off Fixtures Really Make a Difference!!!
Outdoor Lighting Simulator - Another An "Eye-Opening" Demo!

National Geographic's "Light Pollution Taking Toll on Wildlife

Urban Wildlands Group - Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting: Conference

European Space Organization's blog on Light Pollution
"For birds, night lighting leads to disorientation, higher mortality due to collisions with buildings or early breeding."

European Light Pollution Conference

7thEuropean Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky

First Hungarian Light Pollution Conference

International Conference on Light Pollution - Chile

Hayden Planetarium's Neil deGrasse Tyson on Light Pollution - Chile

US News' article "Burning Earth at Both Ends"

US News's article "Shedding Light on a Cause of Breast Cancer"

Starry Nights website's collection of health related issues"

An interactive website where you can see how we compare to other places at night - LIVE.

The Columbia Missourian - "Blinded by the Light"
A proposed light ordinance has star gazers and those concerned for safety arguing over the necessity of light and dark in Columbia

Homer Glen, IL - a small town says NO to light pollution!

Fatal Light Awareness Program - Lights Killing Birds

After midnight when most people are asleep, many outdoor lights remain on all night. We need to adopt 'part-night lighting' by switching off our 'non-essential' lights (midnight - 5am) to save money, reduce light pollution and CO2 emissions.

 

Sources re carbon emissions per KWH and light output (lumens) per KWH for different types of lights:

1. EPA pages on Power Stations in the USA

2. International Dark Sky Assoc. Info. Sheet #3


And what about eco-tourism in Highlands County?

Seems we are ignoring the ever increasing demand for an eco-tourism industry. Part of this is most definitely the enjoyment of the night sky. This is a "light industry" (pun intended!) that brings money to our area, requires very little "up-front" investment (no stadiums to build, no theme parks to construct), and preserves our country way of life. Most tourist areas can't offer this because they have already squandered their natural places and dark skies! Why should we follow in the footsteps of our coastal neighbors?

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to be listed in THIS brochure for "Dark Sky Destinations"?

This county - especially southern Highlands County is one of THE darkest remaining places in the entire southeastern U.S.! Just look at this picture (taken by NASA in 2001).




SO - what can EVERYONE do who is preparing to put up outdoor lights?
Here are some good ideas for smart lighting fixtures!
AND
Contact your Highlands County Commissioner to let her/him know that bad lighting is a bad idea!!! As this beautiful county of ours grows we need a Light Pollution/Trespass Ordinance!!!


Places where the dark is respected --

New Mexico Skies, Astronomy Enclave

Deerlick Astronomy Village, GA

Arizona Sky Village, AZ

Chiefland Astronomy Village, FL