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LIGHTING ISSUES
Do you enjoy the spectacular stars in the desert night? Would you rather be able to see the stars and the moon than your neighbor's blinding yard light, or the glow from town?
Light pollution is costly, irritating, and unnecessary. It's depriving Morongo Basin residents of one of their most impressive resources, an asset that tourists and sky-watchers come from all over to appreciate. Outdoor lighting being directed skyward costs an estimated $1.5 billion in wasted electricity in the U.S. yearly and requires the burning of 6 million tons of coal each year, a major contribution to global warming. And the night-time period of darkness is not only necessary for the health of humans, it's critical for many biological systems.
MBCA has been pursuing a program of education and advocacy for Morongo Basin residents on light pollution. Many of us suffer from light trespass on our property but don't realize there are ordinances designed to protect us from out-of-control lighting. Many of us also don't know how easy it can be to install proper, cost-saving, and sight-saving lighting.
Links you’ll find here include information on Lighting Basics and the 3 steps to good lighting ; as well as Working Together: lighting compliance and the ordinances that govern Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, and the County areas . You’ll also find more on why we need a Night Sky , as well as links to Sky’s the Limit, the Morongo Basin’s own observatory under construction; and the International Dark Sky Association, an incredible resource with all the information you’ll ever need.
The MBCA Night Sky Committee needs help from everyone if we’re going to make better lighting choices the standard in the Morongo Basin. Your interest and participation are more than welcome - reducing light pollution will happen person by person, so let's start with you! Contact MBCA to find out where you fit in.
FEATURED LIGHTING LINKS:
Lighting Basics: why we need a "dark sky", and three steps to light the way.
Working Together: lighting compliance, problem lights, and enforcement.
Night Sky Ordinances: Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, County areas.
The Need for a Night Sky, by Pat Flanagan, Aug-Sept edition of The Sun Runner magazine.
Sky's the Limit: the Morongo Basin's own observatory.
Andromeda Society: local amateur astronomers.
THE INTERNATIONAL DARK-SKY ASSOCIATION
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA – www.darksky.org) is a tremendous resource on light pollution issues. Some of their printable handouts that we know you’ll find useful:
ON GOOD LIGHTING:
ON SECURITY:
ON NEIGHBORS:
ON LIGHT POLLUTION:
ON BIOLOGY AND THE NIGHT SKY:
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