Dark Sky Ordinance with Pete Strasser, Technical Director www.DarkSky.org
Pittsburgh may be the largest municipality to put a Dark Sky Ordinance in place. Other communities can point to Pittsburgh and say, it can happen. With the switch to LED, communities are learning they are over lighting. In Tucson, who has had a light ordinance since 1974, they reduced the wattage of street lights which resulted in a 75% reduction in energy, which is huge savings. They also dim the street lights around midnight. Excess lighting is a true problem and it solves nothing. More light doesn’t mean safer, better light means safer. Promote good lighting which cuts down the glare and helps law enforcement. Pittsburgh is changing lighting direction and temperature focusing on the streets instead of into the sky.