Working toward legislation to curb light pollution in Illinois.
 

Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting

dGo to website Table of Contents

  current page:
        Resources>
                Links

Resources On Lighting Issues

There are many resources of information for people working on lighting issues. On this page, we've placed links to some available on the Internet; this is not by any means a complete listing, but we feel that the resources included here are worthwhile sources. We will add to this directory as new sources become available; our visitors are invited to send suggestions suggestions for other resources which we may want to add.
 
The list is organized by the same general subjects as the index to this website. Many sites contain information in more than one general category, so some exploration is prudent. Clicking on the "external link" button by each listing will open that URL in a new window or tab.

Energy Wastelinks

Earth Hour: Demonstrating that we can each make a difference
link National Lighting Inventory and Energy Consumption Estimate, U.S. DOE (PDF, 2002)
link Missouri State University study: "The Economics of Global Light Pollution" (PDF, 2009)
link U.S. EPA energy equivalency calculator

Which Light bulb uses the least energy?
 

Environmentlinks

link "A Review of the Impact of Artificial Light on Invertebrates" (PDF, 2011)
link "Light Pollution and the Impacts on Biodiversity, Species and Their Habitats" (PDF, 2007)
link Urbanwildlands.org article on the effects of manmade light on wildlife (PDF, 2004)
link The Fatal Light Awareness Program
link Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
link The Zoological Lighting Institute
link Ecological Applications article: "Communication towers, lights, and birds: Successful methods of reducing the frequency of avian collisions" (2009)
link City Of Chicago: Lights Out Chicago
link "Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting" Conference Abstracts (2002)
link BBC News article "Light pollution forms 'eco-traps' " (2009)
link Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife article "Lighting up is hard on wildlife" (2009)
link Simon Eade's blog (UK) "The Garden of Eaden"; see: 24 Nov. 2008 entry on light pollution, 8 Aug. 2009 entry on insect population decline, 02 Aug. 2009 entry on bat population decline
link Universe In The Classroom article: "A Silent Cry for Dark Skies" (2008)
link Science News article: "Deprived of Darkness: The Unnatural Ecology of Artificial Light at Night" (2002)
link Ontario Nature article "The Dark Side of Light" (2006)
link National Geographic article "Light Pollution Taking Toll on Wildlife" (2003)
link National Zoological Park Zoogoer article "Night, Interrupted" (2007)
link "The Dark Side of Light At Night", Journal of Pineal Research (PDF, 2007)
link Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine article "Bright Nights" (2006)
link Discover Magazine article "Turn Down The Lights" (PDF, 2003)
link Christian Science Monitor article "Putting a lid on the light" (2002)
link Terrain.org article "A Building Less Bright: Chicago Skyscrapers Go Dark for Migratory Birds"
link "Light and Life", an introduction to photobiology, the American Society for Photobiology
link Study: "Urban light pollution alters the depth distribution of freshwater zooplankton" (PDF, 2000)
link "Lighting And Bats" guidelines (PDF, 2000)
link Report: "Street Lighting Disturbs Commuting Bats" University of Bristol (PDF, 2009)
link Study: "Impact of Outdoor Lighting on Moths: An Assessment", Journal of The Lepidopterists' Society (PDF, 1988)
link Report: "Does Night Lighting Harm Trees?" Purdue University, Forestry and Natural Resources (PDF, 2002)
link Science News article "Molecular Basis of Monarch Butterfly Migration Discovered" describes light's control over circadian clock (2008)
link Journal of Biological Rhythms article "Photoperiodic Control of Seasonality in Birds" (2001)
link Did you know that artificial lighting can directly cause dairy cows produce more milk?

Manmade light at night disturbs ecosystems

 

Health Concernslinks

link "The Hidden Costs of Light Pollution" -- PSA in the Hidden Costs series (2013)
link Faculty of 1000 article "Illuminating the deleterious effects of light at night" (2011, PDF available)
link Chronobiology International article "Does the Modern Urbanized Sleeping Habitat Pose a Breast Cancer Risk?" (2011)
link PhysOrg.com article "Too much light at night at night may lead to obesity, study finds" (2010)
link University of Haifa press release on new study there linking environmental exposure to artificial light at night to mammalian cancer (2010)
link Environmental Health Perspectives article "Lose Sleep, Gain Weight: Another Piece of the Obesity Puzzle" (2010) exploring light, circadian rhythm disruption, and the obesity epidemic
link The Age article "City lights illuminate a serious sleeping problem" (2010)
link Rockefeller University study "Disrupting sleep causes problems for the body and brain" (2009)
link Daily Mail article "Is 24-hour lighting putting us on a path to depression?" (2009), Original study report (link)
link Summary report from the 2009 "Circadian Disruption and Cancer" symposium at the New York Academy of Sciences
link Environmental Health Perspectives article "Missing the Dark: Health Effects of Light Pollution" (2009)
link Washington Post article "Maybe It's Better To Stay in the Dark", on study linking artificial light at night and prostate cancer (2009)
link Journal of Physiology article "Sensitivity Of The Human Circadian Pacemaker To Nocturnal Light" (2000)
link National Institutes of Health meeting report: The Role of Environmental Lighting and Circadian Disruption in Cancer and Other Diseases (PDF, 2007)
link Boston Globe article on human internal clocks (2007)
link Workers Health & Safety Centre report on shift work (2004)
link Science News article on shift work and sleep disorders (2007)
link Science News article on shift work and organ disease (2008)
link Science News article "Body Clock Regulates Metabolism, Study Shows" (2009)
link News article on World Health Organization statement linking shift work as a probable cause of cancer (2007)
link Letter from Dr. Steven Lockley, Harvard Medical School, on potential health risks of mammade light at night (2008)
link Study: "Light at Night Co-distributes With Incident Breast Cancer But Not Lung Cancer" (PDF, 2008)
link Original study in The Lancet Oncology by WHO/IARC research group linking shift work to cancer (2007)
link Study: "Dim light during darkness stimulates tumor progression by enhancing tumor fatty acid uptake and metabolism" (finding that, in lab animals, just 0.02 foot-candles of light at night promotes cancer; 1999)
link Science News article on cancer and nighttime illumination (1998)
link Washington Post article on breast cancer and excess nighttime illumination (2008)
link University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine study on myopia and exposure to prolonged illumination in humans

Children have both the need and the right to see the stars.

 

Loss Of The Nightlinks

link National Parks Conservation Association article "Fading Fast" (on loss of the night skies over parklands; 2010)
link Dark Skies Awareness: An IYA2009 Cornerstone Project
link Article: "New Zealand town is in the dark -- and proud of it" (2009)
link New Scientist commentary "Why we must save our astronomical heritage" (2009)
link Wired magazine article "Didn't There Used to Be Stars?" (2001)
link British Parliament Select Committee on Science and Technology report on light pollution (2003)
link New England Law Review article "Light Pollution in the United States: An Overview of the Inadequacies of the Common Law and State and Local Regulation" (PDF, 2003)
link Science News article "Light All Night" (2006)
linkInformation on what the National Park Service is doing to promote light pollution awareness for our National Parks
link New Yorker magazine article "The Dark Side" (2007)
link 4 minute video on the problem of light pollution (on youtube)
link Article from the Chicago Wilderness Magazine on Light Pollution (2008)
link US News & World Report article "Turning Out the Lights" (2008)
link National Geographic article "Our Vanishing Night" (2008)
link Environmental Health Perspectives article "Switch On the Night: Policies for Smarter Lighting" (2009)
link The Starlight Initiative
link Paper plate model demonstrations of good and bad lighting
link Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Lighting Research Center studies on transportation lighting and light pollution" (2001)
link 8th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky (2008)
link 9th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky (2009)
link 10th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky (2010)
link www.lightpollution.org.uk: Lighting awareness in the United Kingdom & Europe
link nightwise.org
link International Dark-Sky Association
link Midwest Citizens for Responsible Outdoor Lighting (MCROL)
link Dark Sky Society - New York
link The New England Light Pollution Advisory Group (NELPAG)
link Indiana Council on Outdoor Lighting Education (ICOLE)
link Light Pollution Abatement Site (RASC Canada)
link Sydney Outdoor Lighting Improvement Society Inc.
link CfDS - The Campaign for Dark Skies (U.K.)
link SELENE (New York)
link Skykeepers (California)

Bad lighting practices can increase the threat of crime.

 

Light, Safety & Crimelinks

link AASHTO Center for Environmental Excellence- Chapter 3 on Lighting Control & Minimization
link Illinois DOT "2007 Crash Facts & Statistics" report (PDF)
link U.S. DOT/ Federal Highway Administration study "Comparison Of The Safety Of Lighting Options On Urban Freeways" (1994)
link Study: Age and Glare Recovery Time for Low-Contrast Stimuli (PDF)
link University of Virginia study: Screening Needs for Roadway Lighting by Exposure Assessment and Site-Parameters" (PDF, 2003)
link Study: "Chicago Alley Lighting Project - Final Evaluation Report (PDF, 2000)
link Study: "Outdoor Lighting and Crime, Part 1: Little or No Benefit", B.A.J. Clark (2003)
link "Outdoor Lighting and Crime, Part 2: Coupled Growth", B.A.J. Clark (2003)
link Des Moines Register article "Darkened Streetlights Fail to Raise Crime Rate" (2004)
link Washington State school district report on school grounds blackouts and vandalism reduction
link National Institute of Justice report: "Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising" (see Chapter 7, Preventing Crime at Places, sections on Lighting)
link British Journal of Criminology article: "Environmental Improvements and the Fear of Crime" (1993)
link Report from the Virginia Crime Prevention Association on "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design"

Nighttime sports lighting disrupts the natural environment.

 

Lighting Studieslinks

link Energy Solutions Database - Outdoor Lighting light sources efficiency comparison
link Definitions of the IESNA Luminaire Classification System (LCS)
link Definition of Luminaire Efficacy Rating (LER)
link Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Lighting Research Center - Outdoor lighting research
link U.S. DOE Vision 2020 -20-year industry plan for lighting technology (PDF, 2000)
link The LED Parking Lot Lighting Technology Procurement Project (PDF, U.S. DOE)
link Article "The Eye and Night Vision", American Optometric Association

Lighting Ordinanceslinks

link Outdoor Lighting Code Handbook (PDF, 2002)
link Dark Sky Partners: Company providing assistance with creating lighting ordinances
link Information from Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn's office on the Homer Glen, IL ordinance
 
- States -
Arizona, Arkansas (PDF), California: residential, non-residential (PDF), Connecticut (PDF), Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Texas

- Counties & Municipalities -
Coconino County, AZ (PDF); Flagstaff, AZ (PDF); Yavapai County, AZ (PDF); El Dorado, CA (PDF); Mammoth Lake, CA; Riverside, CA; San Benito, CA; San Diego, CA (PDF); Yucca Valley, CA; Littleton, CO; Bolton, CT; Branford, CT (PDF); Ketchum, ID; Homer Glen, IL (PDF); Monrovia, IN; East Hampton, NY; Ithaca, NY

What You Can Dolinks

link Buildings Magazine article "Improve Outdoor Lighting Practices" (2009)
link Night Sky Friendly Lighting Guide, New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance (PDF, 2005)
link ILE Guidance notes for Reduction of Obtrusive Light (PDF 2005)

Other Resources

link NOAA/NGDC Earth Observation Group - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program; Nightsat photos
link NASA Earth Observatory - Cities At Night
link The Night Sky in the World light pollution study
 

Wasting light is wasting energy.

 

Return to Page Top

Visit us at Facebook!

light pollution Illinois Chicago Cook County DuPage County Will County Springfield energy enviromnent global warming anti light pollution legislation lighting ordinances