France on Board for Dark Skies

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) says it is "the only nonprofit organization fighting to preserve the night." Its efforts have definitely made people worldwide more aware of lighting pollution (Washington, D.C. light pollution pictured), and has influenced specifers to choose shielded fixtures for outdoor lighting www.darksky.org/outdoorlighting/74-manufacturers. A new light pollution law goes into effect this summer in France.
Image: International Dark-Sky Association

French Ecology Minister Delphine Batho has announced a new lighting law to reduce light pollution and save energy. Shops and offices throughout France will soon be required to turn off their lights overnight.

Under the new law, which goes into effect July 1, 2013, lights in shop windows must be extinguished by 1:00 a.m. Interior lights in offices and other nonresidential buildings must be turned off an hour after the last employee leaves. Local councils can make exceptions for Christmas, special occasions and in certain tourist areas.

The move is projected to save 250,000 tons of CO₂, enough energy to power 750,000 French households for a year.

Minister Batho hopes the law will change attitudes in France, and help the country become a pioneer in reducing light pollution.

Of course, the "pioneer" in light pollution is the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Man-made lighting, of course, mars our view of the stars, but also impacts scientific observations of the cosmos, "disrupts ecosystems, affects human circadian rhythms and wastes energy to the tune of $2.2 billion per year in the U.S. alone."