Smart lighting makes 'cents'
By Travis Moshier Endeavor News

More than 20 people, including several municipal and county officials, turned out for a workshop in Coudersport last week to learn how they can help keep the Dark Skies dark.

The Pa. Outdoor Lighting Council, in partnership with the DCNR and DEP, put on an informative session highlighting the importance for both the Cherry Springs State Park Dark Skies as well as individual and municipal budgets.

A good portion of the presentation focused on ways to limit light pollution and decrease spending on unnecessary lighting.

Stan Stubbe, POLC president, explained that good, responsible lighting involves having the correct amount of light pointing in the right direction for only the necessary amount of time.

Stubbe said that many fixtures and their focuses allow light to shine into the sky.

"Either through shielding or aiming, the idea is to point the light at the ground . . . not at the bottom of birds," he said.

One common example, referred to as the "bad lighting poster child," is the typical barn light.

Jim McTish, DEP, explained that a single 175-watt dusk-todawn barn lamp burns about 4,000 hours per year with an electricity cost of around $100. The same lamp regulated by a four-hour timer costs about $36 per year.

With the deregulation of electricity imminent, citizens and government leaders need to be concerned with a steep rise in costs.

"It is estimated the cost will go up 50 to 75 percent," Mc- Tish said.

The presentation also dealt with creating ordinances for light controls.

"Municipal codes have not kept up with powerful lights, explained POLC's Barry Johnson. "We have yesterday's fixtures with today's more powerful lamps."

"If we're going to get serious about good lighting in the Pennsylvania Wilds, I don't know how we're going to do it without an ordinance," Stubbe said. "If you don't have a good ordinance, you'll be playing by the developer's rules, and it ain't pretty."

For those wishing to do their part before any ordinances are created, a wealth of information on responsible lighting is available at darksky.org, the International Dark-Sky Association's website.