Restoring Darkness

John Bullock, guest co-host on this episode, asks the question, “How do we shift the argument so that we can start to talk about the reality of what we experience rather than the propaganda of what people tell us is a problem.” And from there, Michael, John and Nona discuss the history of street lighting, the unproven link between light and safety and the spiritual notion of light equaling safety. Perhaps, as Nona says, we need to reveal the “invisible infrastructures.”

Nona Schulte-Römer is currently working and teaching as senior researcher at Humboldt University in Berlin in a social scientific project on the public understanding of 5G and light exposure in urban contexts. She has a background in humanities, sociology and journalism. In her previous research she has focused on public lighting, light pollution, sustainable chemistry and aquatic micropollutants. Her focus is thereby how these phenomena become issues of public concern or remain ‘invisible’ infrastructures. 

Mentions in the podcast:

Wolfgang Schivelbusch, “Disenchanted Night: The Industrialization of Light in the Nineteenth Century”, University of California Press

Our citizen science project website:

https://nachtlicht-buehne.de/startseite/nightlights/

Our citizen science app can be found and tested or used here: https://lichter.nachtlicht-buehne.de/

Michael and Michael - or “Marlin” as he likes to be referred to - delve into the practical and spiritual aspects of restoring darkness. Practical, as in not running someone over because you can’t see them from the glare of car and street lights, and spiritual, as in seeing the stars and the Milky Way allowing us to connect with the universe and our ancestors.

Michael Marlin (aka Marlin) has been actively involved in Dark Sky advocacy for 35 years, initially as a theatrical director/producer of an international touring show that raised awareness of the loss of darkness due to light pollution, (LUMA: Art in Darkness)  and today as a dark sky ambassador for the International Astronomical Union and International Dark-Sky Association. Marlin is the  author of“Astrotourism: Star Gazers, Eclipse Chasers, and the Dark Sky Movement” the first book on the topic of the new emerging market of ‘Star Tourism’.

Here on Restoring Darkness, we’ve talked about the impact of light pollution, how to restore darkness, and now, in this episode, Michael discusses, with Dr. Stone, the ethical aspects of restoring darkness and maintaining lights at night.

Dr. Taylor Stone is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Science and Ethics, University of Bonn. He studied architecture and worked in the environmental non-profit sector before completing a PhD in Ethics of Technology at Delft University of Technology. His research focuses on the ethics of urban lighting, and what it means to value – and ultimately design for – darkness. Taylor’s writing has appeared in a variety of academic journals, and in 2019 he received a Recognition Award for Research from the Professional Lighting Design Convention (PLD-C). 

In part 2 of this podcast (find part 1 here:  https://restoringdarkness.com/episodes/41-from-prison-yards-to-national-parks), Michael and Tim continue their conversation. Tim gives his perspective on outdoor lighting and energy savings in Massachusetts while Michael does the same from his Ontario Canada perspective.

Tim is the Vice President of the Massachusetts chapter of the International Dark-sky Association.

Find Part 1 here: https://restoringdarkness.com/episodes/41-from-prison-yards-to-national-parks

Connect with Tim:
https://idamass.wordpress.com
web.mit.edu/wallace

Sponsor: Evluma www.evluma.com 

This one was so interesting, Michael let it go for an hour and 15 minutes. So we’ve broken it into 2 parts. In this, part 1, the conversation ranges from clean, affordable energy to controls to a popcorn analogy and the “windows effect.” Tim is the Observatory Manager and Technical Instructor at MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory. Watch for Part 2, available soon.

Connect with Tim:
https://idamass.wordpress.com
web.mit.edu/wallace

Sponsor: Evluma www.evluma.com

Ron installs and commissions lighting controls. He is an integrator who knows his stuff. In this Restoring Darkness episode, he and Michael make the case for controls in exterior lighting systems and wonder why the lighting industry largely ignores this application. Ron Kuszmar oversees Port’s Architectural and Theatrical Lighting Design & Installation departments, as well as their Lighting Control Systems and Equipment Sales teams. 

Terry brings his vast amount of knowledge and experience to the question of industry alignment in the quest to reduce light pollution. Michael talks with Terry about the importance of educating everyone, from manufacturers and distributors right down to municipalities, which are some of the worst offenders. Let’s get on board with the 6 strategies for darkness restoration and preservation!

Terry is involved in illuminating engineering/lighting design, lighting education and lighting research. His professional career of 60+ years includes GE Lighting at Nela Park where he was Manager of the GE Lighting Institute. In 1998, he started his own consulting company, Lighting Ideas, Inc and became involved in lighting research as  Director of the Lighting Research Office for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).  These days, in addition to consulting work, he acts on behalf of the American Lighting Association as their Director of Engineering and Technology and is the Executive VP of the J.H. McClung Lighting Research Foundation. 

Where does the resistance to the adoption of darkness friendly lighting come from?  Michael poses this question to Peter Brown. Michael and Peter discuss how and if it’s even possible to get the industry on board.

With over thirty years in the lighting industry, Mr. Brown has sales and marketing experience in distribution, manufacturing, auditing, design and installation; both in the C&I and public sector markets.

Scientific coordinator for the Mont-Megantic International Dark Sky Reserve, Rémi Boucher has been passionate about the starry sky and the night experience for many years. Do people believe that light pollution is actually pollution or a metaphor?  Michael and Rémi dive into this question and tackle the complexities of maneuvering through municipal and state/provincial governments,  environmentalists, lighting manufacturers and distributors, private landowners and… you can see how complex this is.  Listen to Restoring Darkness and then help us bring back the night sky.

Twitter : @remiboucher

Personnal website (photography) : remiboucherphoto.com

Work website (dark sky reserve) : meganticdarksky.org

Abdul Dremali is an Palestinian/Egyptian artist with a passion for the night sky. Currently based in Reno, Nevada, he travels the world in search of dark skies for his astrophotography. Abdul advocates some sensible solutions for restoring darkness. We should all follow his example of his relationship with the moon and the stars. And check out his photos at what is perhaps the suavest URL ever - abdul.cool