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26 October 2001
The International Dark Sky Association
Today, city and suburban dwellers have lost sight of most of the universe. The spectacular view of the sky offered our ancestors on dark clear nights no longer exists. The outdoor lighting accompanying urban population growth has overwhelmed the stars with the glow. The problem is not the outdoor lighting -- but rather the light wasted upward into the night sky. This "light pollution" provides no useful lighting, wastes significant amounts of energy, and threatens astronomical research.
Light pollution problems can be solved with effcient outdoor lighting, designed to illuminate the ground for safety and utility, without causing a blinding glare or wasting energy.
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is dedicated to "preserve the beauty of the nighttime environment and restore our heritage of the dark sky."
IDA activities include:
- a regular newsletter;
- development and distribution of information sheets, brochures, leaflets, economic information, good lighting design examples, images, videos, and other resources and references;
- development viable and effective Sections and Affiliates in communities, regions, and countries;
- an annual meeting in Tucson AZ in the March/April and at another locale in Oct/Nov;
- dissemination of press releases and other media contacts;
- light pollution education and awareness;
- photo and video documentation of good and bad lighting;
- presentation of Good Lighting Awards; and
- Speaker's Bureaus
Contact IDA at:
International Dark-Sky Association, Inc.
3225 N. First Avenue
Tucson, Arizona 85719-2103USA PHONE: 520-293-3198
FAX: 520-293-3192
E-Mail: ida@darksky.org
Web: http://www.darksky.org/
Note: This announcement is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by SAS.