See below for a sample letter for your legislator from Light Pollution News Podcast . Listen every month to stay up to date on the current research and news as how artificial light at night impacts our environment.
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HB1803 aims to make PA government-operated lighting (state owned) less wasteful, safer, and more healthy for humans and wildlife by way of:
- Properly directed and correctly shielded outdoor lighting units.
- The elimination of light trespass and glare that infringes on neighboring properties.
- Correlated color temperatures (CCTs) that are less than or equal to 2,700K (important for health reasons).
- Dimming or turning off façade lighting units between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Reflective roadway markings or reflective signage, where appropriate and safe for the situation in lieu of outdoor lighting.
Step 1: Find your legislator.
Step 2: Forward a vote of support for HB1803
Dear [Representative Name],
I am one of your constituents, and I urge you to co-sponsor Pennsylvania’s newly proposed “Responsible Outdoor Lighting” Bill (HB1803). This legislation will improve the health, welfare, and fiscal well-being of Pennsylvania’s citizens, without sacrificing public safety. The fact that outdoor lighting controls do not endanger public security is proved by the many “safe States” that already have strong Responsible Outdoor Lighting legislation in place (e.g., Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas, Wyoming, etc.).
In recent years, the use of excessive outdoor lighting has increased significantly in Pennsylvania. All across our Commonwealth, citizens have overly bright, unshielded, “blue-white” outdoor lights glaring in their eyes, invading their homes and yards, spoiling the beauty of their hometowns, and obscuring their night-time skies. Collectively, this glare, light-trespass, and sky-glow is called “light pollution,” and we must act to curb its increasingly rapid growth, and prevent its many serious consequences. Specifically, among other effects, light pollution:
- Wastes a substantial amount of energy and money;
- Contributes to sleep disruption, and related health problems (e.g., Jefferson Health, “How Does Nighttime Light Affect My Health?”; American Medical Association, “AMA Adopts Guidance to Reduce Harm from High Intensity Street Lights”);
- Disrupts the feeding and migration patterns of wildlife;
- Blights tourism and leisure industries built around hunting, stargazing, bird-watching, and historical locations;
- Jeopardizes scientific and educational programs that rely on astronomical observatories; and
- Creates public safety issues (e.g., temporary blindness from glare can cause vehicle accidents and make pedestrians vulnerable to unanticipated dangers).
HB1803 will help to address State-produced light-pollution problems like these; and, crucially, it will do so without sacrificing our public safety. As you are a committed public servant of our District, I know you will want to ensure the future health, welfare, and safety of citizens in our Commonwealth. Therefore, I respectfully urge your co-sponsorship of HB1803.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]