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Featured program presentation starts at 7:30 pm
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November 11 Program Topic:

 

On November 11, join Debbie Moran for a presentation about light pollution: what it is, how it affects our natural world, human health, and how we can minimize its negative effects. The presentation includes a demonstration of the type of lighting the City of Houston is installing in contrast to the type of lighting it ought to install. 

 

Lighting with all its positive benefits can be installed just plain wrong. It should have a clear purpose, directed where it is needed, no brighter than necessary, used only when it is useful, and we should use warmer colors where possible. You’ve heard about dark skies and light pollution, but did you know about the danger of excessive glare? Lighting consumes energy and costs money and is regulated by the energy code. Nobody wants too much shining in their bedroom at night. Ms. Moran will discuss how lighting affects buildings with plenty of examples of lighting done right and done wrong. 

 

Deborah Moran has had a lifelong interest in astronomy since her childhood in Midland, TX where all the scenery is in the sky. She has been a longtime member of the Houston Astronomical Society, and she also participates in outreach programs and is a volunteer telescope operator at the George Observatory in Brazos Bend State Park.

 

She is the 2017 recipient of the International Dark-Sky Association’s Hoag-Robinson Award for education of government officials about outdoor lighting issues. In 2010, her Woodside neighborhood became the first one within Houston city limits allowed to install low glare fully shielded decorative streetlights. In 2015 she began presenting concerns about the choice of high glare white LED street lights in Houston to city officials and hopes that the Houston area will someday join other communities in moving to warm or soft white to amber LEDs which are recommended by the American Medical Association for their reduced glare and reduced disruption of day/night circadian function. She has also lobbied for a lighting ordinance or education program to reduce security light glare and created the web site www.softlighthouston.com to educate citizens on lighting issues. The site prompted the Houston Police Department to recommend soft shielded lighting. 

We seek to create a safe low glare night time environment in Houston, TX by encouraging the use of soft shielded lighting citywide for street lights, businesses and home lighting.  HOME (softlighthouston.com)

 

International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) Texas: IDA Texas

 

 

 

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