This is John Barentine’s second appearance and we still haven’t exhausted the conversation. How do we solve the light pollution problem? John has some ideas. Use reason and science and, as is John’s mission, give people the transformational experience of the night sky. How do we help that happen? By implementing the existing knowledge and technology of the lighting industry that knows how to make that a reality NOW! John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in education and outreach efforts to help increase the public understanding of science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events. 

Jin joins us from North Carolina where he is, along with earning his Ph.D, doing his best to reduce - or eliminate - bird-window collisions. In fact window collisions are mostly a daytime problem. The night time problem is light at night. This draws birds in and they then collide with any part of a building, or they die from exhaustion, confused and circling the light. Come on humanity, we can do better! Jin Bai is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology program at NCSU and studies the drivers of urban bird diversity. He has extensive experience designing, coordinating, and assisting citizen science projects, including organizing the Triangle Bird Count. Jin co-founded City Bird with a mission of documenting bird-window collisions and advocating for bird-friendly college campuses in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Additionally, Jin is a board member of the New Hope Audubon Society, a local non-profit chapter of the National Audubon Society covering Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties of NC, dedicated to local bird conservation. 

From the first faint signals from Sputnik in 1957 to an estimated half a million satellites orbiting the earth in 2030 - yeah, we were shocked too! The effects on earth based astronomy could be devastating. And then there are all the things that can go wrong, like collisions and the build up of aluminum and other particles in the high atmosphere from burned-up satellites. On the bright side, there is growing cooperation from satellite companies, in mitigating the reflective properties of satellites. Dr Tregloan-Reed completed his Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Keele, Staffordshire, UK and then went on to a two year postdoctoral research fellowship at NASA Ames Research center, California USA. In 2018, Dr Tregloan-Reed relocated to Northern Chile and his primary research is in exoplanets, specializing in exoplanets which orbit active host stars, to better understand how stellar activity can impact our ability to detect and characterize exoplanetary systems. Since the start of 2020 and after the launch of Darksat, SpaceX's first attempt to dim their satellites, Dr Tregloan-Reed has been leading an international network of telescopes in performing brightness measurements of satellite constellations such as Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper. This survey is collecting data to allow astronomers to develop mitigation software and to ascertain the impact of satellite constellations to the quality of the night sky and Astronomy. 

Highlights from the Darkness News are:-       The Royal Society Publications this Month-       LDS Project Updates-       Virginia Observatories vs Private Residents-       NASA’s Turtles

Mark Baker is back and he’s still advocating for people who experience the harmful effects of LED light. Mark tells us about some ongoing litigation involving car lots and nearby residents, and a successful one against a town in Minnesota. You’re going to see more of Mark here, as the Soft Lights Foundation and the Lighting & Darkness Foundation work together to tackle the problems of harmful LED’s. Mark Baker is the President of The Soft Light Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for the protection of people and the environment from the harms of visible radiation emitted by products that use Light Emitting Diodes. Mark is the primary author of a primer on the differences between a curved surface emitter and a flat surface emitter. His co-authors include subject matter experts in the fields of physics, engineering, medicine, and light pollution. 

Watch this episode and you’ll feel the hope and positivity emanating from your screen from Aparna and John. Michael discusses, with Aparna and John, humanity’s lost connection with the sky, forgotten sky stories and traditions from many cultures, and even the lighting industry’s little corner of the climate change problem, which we could effectively tackle RIGHT NOW, if there was only the willpower to do so. Aparna and John haven’t lost hope. Aparna Venkatesan is an astronomer in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and co-Director of the Tracy Seeley Center for Teaching Excellence, at the University of San Francisco. She works on studies of the first stars and quasars in the universe, and is also actively involved in projects in cultural astronomy and space policy. She currently serves as co-Chair of the American Astronomical Society's Committee to Protect Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE). Professor Venkatesan has been recognized internationally for her research and DEI leadership, featured widely in the media, and received numerous prizes and awards. She is deeply committed to increasing the retention of underrepresented groups in astronomy and STEM, and is active in developing scientific partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide. Connect with Aparna: https://www.usfca.edu/faculty/aparna-venkatesan John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in education and outreach efforts to help increase the public understanding of science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events. 

Highlights from the darkness news are:-       Scientific Consensus-       1000 Bird Strikes in One Night-       Chile Restores Darkness-       Light Pollution is Brain Pollution

Highlights from the darkness news are:-       ALAN Linked with Breast Cancer-       France Powers Ahead on Night Conservation-       Border Protection Suspend Nature Protections-       Blue-Filtering Lenses Not Recommended 

Hannah practices “place-based” research. Rather than finding international or national solutions, she advocates for small scale “place-based” solutions for local areas that will have their own challenges. As an astrophysicist, she is working to make the science understandable, accessible and more relevant. Michael brings up an interesting philosophical question that arises from that endeavor. Hannah Dalgleish is a knowledge exchange professional working in the academic and place-based policy engagement sphere. She has a PhD in astrophysics and has been involved in numerous projects related to astronomy for development, with a particular focus on dark skies and society, light pollution and policy, and science communication. She helps to coordinate the International Astronomical Youth Camp and is a former Trustee of the Royal Astronomical Society. 

Highlights from the darkness news are: - Charting New Harms of ALAN - Speakers from Under One Sky - Bird’s Eye Views Are Shrinking - Pandas Get Jet-Lag

It’s about communication, spreading knowledge, and good lighting. As a member of Lighting Urban Community International (LUCI), Elisa is one of many across the globe advocating to use light as a tool for social, cultural and economic development. Before you develop your urban area, contact Elisa (or one of her colleagues from LUCI) and she’ll help you avoid bad lighting. Let’s get it right the first time! Elisa Hillgen is a lighting designer, light artist and a lighting coordinator at the City of Jyväskylä, known as City of Light. She has previously worked in the field of building and interior design, and has over 15 years of experience in different fields of lighting. For the last 7 years, she has focused on urban lighting and light art projects. Her job as the lighting coordinator of Jyväskylä includes taking care of the dark time cityscape by organizing design projects and maintenance for urban lighting and working in the light festival team. She is also the LUCI Association contact person for the City of Jyväskylä, which is currently the president of the global network. Connect with Elisa:https://valonkaupunki.jyvaskyla.fi/en/city-light-jyvaskylahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/elisahillgen/https://www.instagram.com/hilgelli/

Rachel comes to us from the Sea Turtle Conservancy in Florida. She’s doing her part to protect the turtles in so many ways. She helps to conduct code enforcement workshops for municipal enforcement officers around the state, and she is promoting wildlife-friendly lighting, by following key principles: keeping lights low, shielding them from view, using longer wavelengths, and minimizing unnecessary lighting. Her goal is to reduce light pollution and its impact on wildlife, particularly sea turtles, by promoting responsible lighting practices. Rachel Tighe is a certified lighting specialist I in the lighting industry through the National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors. Rachel has worked for environmental and conservation driven organizations for over 14 years with a focus in minimizing the anthropogenic threats to wildlife and the natural world. She has worked as the Lighting Project Manager for Sea Turtle Conservancy, the oldest sea turtle organization in the world, for over the past seven years. Rachel and her team work to mitigate problematic lights on sea turtle nesting habitat. Connect with Rachel: www.conserveturtles.org @conserveturtles Sponsor: Evluma www.evluma.com 

Highlights from the darkness news world are: - Night Shift Work is Bad for Your Memory - Giving Insomnia to Molluscs and Rodents - Circadian Lamps Go to Space - Progress on a Petition to Change LED Headlights 

Highlights from the darkness news word are: - Blue blocking lenses don't work - Municipal governments leading on bird safety - DarkSky's photo contest winners - Holidays are visible from space

LEDs came along in the early 2000’s. They emitted light. They were energy efficient. What could be bad? Ask Mark Baker who’s highly sensitive to certain LED lights. And there are people worse off than him who cannot neurologically tolerate the type of radiation emitted by LEDs. Imagine if you couldn’t go to a store or walk under street lights lest you get dizzy, acquire a migraine or fall into an epileptic episode. There are thousands of people who can’t leave their house, and now can't even replace their light bulbs with incandescents. And let’s not forget about the natural world where studies on the effects of LEDs have barely scratched the surface. Mark Baker is the President of The Soft Lights Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for the protection of people and the environment from the harms of visible radiation emitted by products that use Light Emitting Diodes. Mark is the primary author of a primer on the differences between a curved surface emitter and a flat surface emitter. His co-authors include subject matter experts in the fields of physics, engineering, medicine, and light pollution. Connect with Mark: www.softlights.org Soft Lights Foundation - https://www.facebook.com/groups/softlights.org Ban Blinding LEDs - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BanBlindingLEDs Petition to Ban Blinding Headlights: https://www.change.org/p/u-s-dot-ban-blinding-headlights-and-save-lives  

Our host, Michael, has learned a lot from reading children's books to his kids. Anna’s book, “Can You See The Stars Tonight?” we’re sure, is no exception. We are always hopeful for the next generation, so let’s teach our children about the impact of light pollution with Anna’s book. And you can’t go wrong with cute little puffins! Anna is a children's book author and illustrator who is passionate about animals and wildlife. She received a first class degree in Illustration from Sheffield Hallam University and a Masters in Children's Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art. Anna's latest picturebook, “Can You See The Stars Tonight?” published by David Fickling Books, is a story about the impact light pollution can have on puffins and what we can do in our own homes to help our local wildlife when it comes to light pollution. Sponsor: Evluma www.evluma.com 

Find the latest news in the Restoring Darkness front. Highlights of this episode: - University of Pennsylvania Study Shows Staying Up All Night Might Help with Depression - Mice with High Blood Pressure Die Faster Under Circadian Disruptions - Melatonin-rich diet improves sleep Presented by The Lighting And Darkness Research Foundation https://restoringdarkness.com/donate/  

Dr. Darley gives us a new term (that we’re totally stealing!). Instead of describing light pollution to people as too much light, she feels people respond more positively to the problem if you describe it as a “darkness deficiency.” Dr. Darley goes on to explain the hazards of too much light - sorry, of a darkness deficiency - in your environment when you’re trying to sleep, like hormone imbalance, thyroid problems, and cancer risk. If you hold your arm out in the middle of the night and you can see your fingers wriggle, then there is not enough darkness in your room. Dr. Catherine Darley is the leader in natural sleep medicine. She combines her knowledge of sleep and circadian disorders with her training as a naturopathic physician to bridge these two fields. She’s treated patients for over 20 years, along with training healthcare providers in sleep medicine. Dr. Darley now focuses on teaching people sleep skills so they can thrive at home, at work, and have a high quality life. You can find her online at SkilledSleeper.com, on Instagram, and Substack. 

If bright light at night bothers you, it is much worse for marine life, and they don’t realize it, they just react. Their instinctual biological processes change in reaction to artificial light and sky glow which then affects the food chain. To add to that, the blue light from LED’s penetrates deeper into the water. The sky glow disrupts biological processes that are guided by moonlight. Dr. Davies and Prof. Smyth are doing the research. Now it’s up to us to take action. Dr Davies is a marine conservation ecologist at the University of Plymouth, UK working. His research seeks to understand the impacts and management of man-made global change on ecosystems, and human-environment interrelationships. He has published research on the impacts and management of a variety of global change issues - most notably Artificial Light at Night (ALAN). Prof. Tim Smyth is the Head of Science for Marine Biogeochemistry and Observations at PML. This involves leading a team of around 20 people ranging from PhD students to experienced senior scientists across a range of disciplines from air-sea exchange, nutrient cycling to molecular science within the broad remit of marine biogeochemistry. His brief also includes oversight of the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) as well as the Western Channel Observatory (WCO) which he has been leading for the past 15 years. 

Harold Wallace, Jr., is curator of the Electricity Collections at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Responsible for over 25,000 objects documenting the history of electrical science and technologies, Hal has specialized in the history of electric light and power since joining NMAH in 1995. Hal holds a Ph.D. in public policy / policy history, and an M.A. in the history of technology, both from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He has curated exhibitions and written articles and blogs on the history of several electrical topics. His current exhibitions are Lighting A Revolution and The Electric Dr. Franklin. He serves on the Collections Committee of the Baltimore Museum of Industry and as Smithsonian representative on the board of the Thomas A. Edison Papers Project. Hal is a member the American Historical Association, the American Political Science Association, the Illuminating Engineering Society, and the Society for the History of Technology. 

Shannon Willis is an exhibition and graphic designer, originally from Maryland, now residing in North Bethesda. Alongside her life as a designer, she is a devoted pet parent to two small dogs and enjoys diverse creative outlets such as art, design, building, dining out, and horror movies. Shannon's lifelong passion for art and crafts led her to pursue studies in Industrial Design at Virginia Tech and Graphic Design at the Art Institute of Washington. For the past 13 years, she has been an invaluable member of the Museum of Natural History, utilizing her creative prowess to design engaging exhibitions. Shannon's enthusiasm and commitment to her craft drive her to constantly seek new opportunities for growth and expand her knowledge. Her dedication and transformative work leave a lasting impact on design at NMNH, delighting visitors and contributing to the museum's success.

Juliana Olsson is an exhibit writer and editor at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. In order to write all the labels visitors will (hopefully) read, she’s constantly learning about new topics, exploring the collections, and going on field trips to fossil digs and dark sky sites. She holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A. in Film Studies and Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley. In 2023 she celebrated 10 years at the Smithsonian.

It’s been over 5 years since Dr. Kyba was on the Get A Grip On Lighting podcast. Between then and now, we created Restoring Darkness which is a much more appropriate place for Dr. Kyba to be as his research is on skyglow and artificial light at night. He points out that when lighting up a building to make it an experience, it is no longer an experience when you do it EVERY NIGHT! We bet you’ve never thought of the dangers of attracting Mayflies to an illuminated bridge. You can take part in his research by joining the Nachtlicht-BüHNE project, or submitting measurements with the Loss of the Night app on an Android or iOS device. Christopher Kyba is a physicist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences and Ruhr University Bochum. He has worked on quantification of artificial light in the outdoor environment for over a decade, using ground, air, and space-based techniques, as well as citizen science. He obtained his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006, and his BSc from the University of Alberta in 2000. 

Dan is a landscape lighting designer and he is on our side. He tries to stay away from “on at dusk off at dawn” sensors. As Dan says, for good design. you need the darkness. You can’t just pump light into an area and call it good lighting. Good lighting is controlled and does not contribute to light pollution. Dan Jobbins is a lighting designer, based out of New York’s beautiful hudson valley. He graduated from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts with a BFA in theatrical lighting design. He has had a 15+ year career designing lighting for theaters up and down the east coast, as well as for high profile events in the New York metropolitan area. During the covid 19 pandemic and resulting shut downs of arts and entertainment venues Dan pivoted toward landscape lighting, securing a position with one of the oldest landscape lighting companies in the Northeast. He later struck out on his own to form Hudson Valley Holidays which started as a holiday lighting company but has grown to include all manner of outdoor and landscape lighting design. Dan takes pride in placing the highest emphasis on quality design and services within Hudson Valley Holidays, a big part of which is striving for Dark Sky compliance. 

Scott Wachter, from the Lighting Industry News Brief (https://naild.org/lighting-industry-news-brief) joins Michael Colligan to bring you the latest news around darkness restoration. Watch for Restoring Darkness Episode 76, out tomorrow. And don't forget to give to The Lighting And Darkness Foundation to fight light pollution. https://restoringdarkness.com/donate 

Just like we’ve been saying all along, Todd doesn’t want to take away everyone's light at night. He just wants people to be mindful and reasonable about lowering light pollution. He removed the carriage light above his own garage many years ago. Sure they look nice and classy, but they blast light everywhere. And just like Christmas lights, they don’t need to be on at three in the morning while everyone’s asleep. Todd Burlet is a Delegate for DarkSky International, which has been the world’s leading authority on light pollution since 1988, and the President and Board Member of Starry Skies North, the Minnesota and Mid-Continent chapter of DarkSky International. Starry Skies North is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit corporation engaged in educational outreach and advocacy in support of their mission to protect the sky, the earth, and all life from Light Pollution. Todd initiated and leads the Mid-Continent Chapter Incubator, a Starry Skies North initiative to support dark-sky advocates in the mid-continent region, which includes 6 states and two Canadian provinces, by providing them tools, training, online resources, and a support community to assist them in their outreach efforts, and to help launch new DarkSky chapters. Todd is a member of the American Astronomical Society, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Society for Light and Lighting. 

Scott Wachter, from the Lighting Industry News Brief (https://naild.org/lighting-industry-news-brief) joins Michael Colligan to bring you the latest news around darkness restoration. Watch for Restoring Darkness Episode 75, out soon. And don't forget to give to The Lighting And Darkness Foundation to fight light pollution. 

The Lighting And Darkness Foundation is taking on its first project! With your donations (please donate at https://restoringdarkness.com/save-the-night-in-wasatch-back-utah) we can help Shawn and Lisa and the other concerned residents, preserve their Wasatch Back night sky in Utah. Find out what the story is in this podcast. Lisa and Shawn are co-founders of Save Wasatch Back Dark Skies along with several other passionate Wasatch County residents. You can find more information at Savewasatchbackdarkskies.org. Lisa Bahash is an experienced and successful business leader with over 30 years in the automotive industry. While her business acumen has allowed for a successful career, more important to Lisa is her approach to leadership. People and relationships are to be cherished; leadership is a privilege given to those you lead. Outside of her industry, Lisa was on the Board of Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit for several years. She is very passionate about the humane care and treatment of animals and believes that the companionship offered is nature’s sacred gift to humans. Originally from Michigan, Lisa moved to Utah in 2021 as she values the great outdoors and abundant wildlife. Lisa holds a Master of Engineering Management degree from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. While currently retired from her professional career, Shawn Savarino has immersed herself in volunteer opportunities and family. She balances her time between Utah and Texas, her schedule often decided by the football schedule for her alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin. After earning her Master in Professional Accounting degree, Shawn began her career at KPMG as a CPA focused on corporate taxation. That role took her to Prague in the Czech Republic where she undertook many fascinating opportunities, including assisting the Ministry of Finance draft and improve its tax regulations. After spending a decade in the public arm of the profession, Shawn took a position as the CFO for a children’s clothing manufacturer, a role she held for close to ten years before moving with her family to live in Singapore. Beyond her professional career, Shawn has volunteered in various roles including participating on several school boards, chairing multiple large annual fund raisers, and serving as a Child Advocate in the court system. Shawn enjoys seeking new outdoor adventures such as running the Ocean to Ocean race in Thailand, climbing Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia and sleeping under the stars in Utah. Travel, tennis, and time with family and friends are Shawn’s personal passions. 

Michael talks with our guests about the new Smithsonian exhibit, “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky. It sounds like this exhibit will convince any skeptic of the importance of restoring the night sky. Watch out for a future episode, live from the Smithsonian. Dr. Kimberly Arcand is a leading expert in astronomy visualization and has been a pioneer in 3D imaging, printing, and extended reality applications with astrophysics data. She has worked for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory since 1998. Her current research includes sonification of spatial data, machine learning as applied to image processing, and other intersections of emerging technology and astrophysics. Jill Johnson is an exhibit developer and project manager in the Office of Exhibits at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. I have worked here since 1979—44 years! Seven of those were spent with the Marine Systems Laboratory at the museum. She has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science from Southampton College/Long Island University. Stephen Loring attended Goddard College in Vermont and later the University of Massachusetts in Amherst from whence he got his PhD in 1991. He taught anthropology and northern studies at Middlebury College and the University of South Carolina prior to accepting a job with the Smithsonian’s Arctic Studies Center in 1992 

Join us for our inaugural episode of The Darkness News Update. Scott Wachter, from the Lighting Industry News Brief (https://naild.org/lighting-industry-news-brief) joins Michael Colligan to bring you the latest news around darkness restoration. Watch for future episodes to coincide with Restoring Darkness podcast episodes. 

Michael welcomes a fellow Canadian to the podcast. Michael and Dawn discuss the never ending pursuit of continuous improvement, the interchangeable use of the terms sustainability and energy efficiency (they are NOT the same!), the use of cheap and energy efficient lighting creating more light pollution, and the legal precedents that are inadvertently sustaining light pollution. They even touch on Capitalism and Socialism, but you’ll have to listen to the episode to hear that part. A recognized industry leader in circadian lighting design, Dawn is driven by a passion for designing lighting solutions that promote health and wellness. Dawn’s 20-year career is defined by her dedication to continuous improvement and willingness to challenge the status quo. She was one of the first Lighting Designers in Canada to achieve the Certified Lighting Designer (CLD) credential, adding her name to the CLD database among some of the world’s most accomplished designers.

Dr. Randle comes to us from the U.K. based Butterfly Conservation, one of the largest insect conservation organizations in the world. Dr. Randle points out that artificial light at night affects pheromone production in some female moths and sperm count in some males. Along with all the other environmental pressure, light at night has caused a 32% decline in population since the 1970’s. Thanks to the thousands of volunteers and data sets stretching back decades, you can learn all about them in The Atlas Of Britain & Ireland's Larger Moths. Dr. Randle is the ecological lead for Butterfly Conservations’ Big Butterfly Count, an annual UK citizen science survey which helps to assess the health of our environment and connect people to nature. Prior to working for Butterfly Conservation she was a Field Ecologist, working in a range of different habitats, counting and measuring a variety of different plants and animals for scientific research. In her spare time Dr. Randle enjoys riding her horse, photography, star and moon gazing and writing to try to make sense of a crazy world!

Mike comes to us from the North York Moors National Park in the north of England. Mike has done ALOT to fight light pollution in his area. He has: developed a Dark Skies Festival; encouraged businesses to collaborate and to become Dark Skies Friendly; oversaw the application to become an International Dark Sky Reserve from inception to successful designation. He’s even successfully influenced the UK government on lighting policy. He even found the time to appear on Restoring Darkness! Mike is Head of Nature Recovery Projects at the North York Moors National Park, a protected upland landscape and International Dark Sky Reserve in the North of England. As well as delivery of landscape scale nature recovery projects within the Conservation and Climate Change Department, Mike is also the lead officer for Dark Skies at the National Park Authority.

Here at Restoring Darkness, we are on a mission to eliminate light pollution. Dr. Barber wants to tackle “sensory pollution.” He is doing that by running the Sensory Ecology Lab at Boise State University and studying the effects of light and sound pollution on birds, bats, and insects. Let’s eliminate light pollution, then we’ll start the “Restoring Silence” podcast! Dr. Barber completed his BS and MS at the University of Wyoming and his PhD at Wake Forest University before he spent 5 years with the National Park Service's Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division for his postdoctoral work. He now runs the Sensory Ecology Lab at Boise State University - a set of scholars dedicated to understanding how sensory environments and sensory pollution impact birds, bats, and insects. 

You’d think a landscape lighting designer wouldn’t really be concerned with sky glow. “Just light up the landscape and the sky be damned!” But you would be wrong if you thought that about Kathryn. Her number one concern when designing is to not add to light pollution. She strongly advises clients to turn off their lights by 10 pm, and even earlier if you aren’t around to enjoy them. She’s a big advocate for controls too, which, as we at Restoring Darkness have been saying, makes sense for outdoor lighting. And Kathryn knows what she’s talking about: She has led workshops and taught classes at numerous locations including universities, and she is an active Mentor Team member of the International Landscape Lighting Institute Intensive Course, and serves on the ILLI Board of Directors and ILLI Programming Committee. Kathryn Toth is an award-winning architectural lighting designer who strives to create artistic lighting solutions. Her projects include exterior, landscape, retail, commercial, and residential projects around the globe. Working to create the visual atmosphere and enhance the space is her specialty. Kathryn is an active and instrumental member of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Recommended Practice for Landscape Lighting and the IES Outdoor Nighttime Environments (ONE) committees, a member of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), and a board member of the International Landscape Lighting Institute (ILLI). 

Sometimes it’s a good idea to go to the source. So we went to the founder of the Responsible Outdoor Light At Night conference (ROLAN), Karolina Zielińska-Dąbkowska. Karolina explains to Michael and John that as a lighting designer, she had questions that she couldn’t find answers to. And researchers wouldn’t let her in because she wasn’t in their circle. So Karolina went out and got her own PhD and became a researcher. Thankfully she’s willing to share some of her research with us. Dr. Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska IALD, IES, CIE, MSLL, RIBA is an architect and an award winning practicing lighting designer with over 20 years of experience working in the field of lighting design. Karolina is also an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland, and Co-Founder of GUT LightLab, where she conducts research on various aspects of light and lighting in the built environment. In 2022 Karolina Founded Responsible Outdoor Lighting at Night (ROLAN) conference and was principal co-author of the ROLAN Manifesto. 

If you ever doubted the impact on wildlife of humans just being around, let Sheldon tell you how the turtle nests in Hawaii bounced back in 2020. Luckily that trend continues with her army of volunteers that help redirect hatchlings away from artificial lights that lead them away from the water. Michael and John also discuss with Sheldon how there are light pollution ordinances in almost every city and town but no enforcement. Dr. Sheldon Plentovich leads the US Fish and Wildlife Services' Pacific Islands Coastal Program where she works with partners to find innovative ways to protect and restore island ecosystems. She grew up in the southeastern United States and started working on Pacific Islands in 1996. Her priorities are community-based restoration efforts, ecosystem restoration at a landscape scale and species translocations. When she's not working, she's surfing, mountain biking or spoiling her dogs. 

We all know cities are a big contributor to light pollution. Charlotte Gage from Adfree Cities in the United Kingdom, contends that one of the biggest offenders is digital advertising. LED’s are getting brighter and advertising signs are being left on all night, drowning out views of the night sky but also destroying people’s sleep who live nearby these signs. Charlotte, Michael and John discuss what progress has been made, about how laws haven’t caught up to digital signage, and how best to tackle this blight. Charlotte Gage is Network Director for Adfree Cities, a network of groups across the UK who are concerned about the impacts of corporate advertising on our health, wellbeing, environment, climate, communities and the local economy. Adfree Cities lobby for policy change at national and local levels, showcase alternatives, organize locally to stop new advertising sites in UK cities, and produce resources to raise awareness about the impacts of commercial advertising. 

Roland is from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, but he speaks proficiently, beyond the perspective of astronomy, on many of the other aspects of light pollution. Roland talks with Michael and John about LED street lighting, the safety light at night straw man argument, cars hitting lamp posts because of glare, and some surprising facts about blue light that you might not have heard before. Roland Dechesne, FRASC*, is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Light Pollution Abatement Committee as well as a Past President of the Calgary Centre of the RASC and an amateur astronomer with over 40 years’ experience. He has been a popularizer of astronomy to the public for much of that time. His interests are astrophotography, meteorites and light pollution abatement. He ‘moonlights’ as an oil and gas geologist during the day. He was recently honored by having asteroid #10087 named for him. 

Rayan began a career in aircraft maintenance, but he went from aerospace to space - his interest in cosmology led to him creating Cosmic Tribe, making astronomy and space more accessible to a wider audience and thus spreading awareness of the problem of light pollution. Rayan talks with Michael and John about our lack of connection with the cosmos and the technical jargon and language barriers preventing that connection. Rayan is well-respected in the industry and holds several prestigious titles, including International Astronomical Union-IAU Dark Skies Ambassador, IDA Dark Sky Delegate, and National Coordinator of the Moon Village Association. He is also the Young Persons Committee Head of the Royal Aeronautical Society Pakistan Division and the International Astronomical Artist Association's Director of STEAM Outreach. He is the Founder of Cosmic Tribe and currently serves as the National Node of the International Day of Light and the IAU NAEC National Astronomy Education Coordinator from Pakistan Team. 

You can read Johan’s book, The Darkness Manifesto: How Light Pollution Threatens the Ancient Rhythms of Life which was just released in North America. Johan talks to Michael Colligan and John Bullock about the impact of light pollution on flora and fauna around the world, not to mention the impact on human health. Johan also points out that with the advent of artificial light at night, an appreciation for silence and slowness has diminished. So hurry up and listen to this podcast! Johan Eklöf, PhD, is a Swedish bat scientist and writer, most known for his work on microbat vision and more recently, light pollution. Johan has studied bats for almost 25 years and now has his own consultancy company, hired by authorities, wind companies, municipalities, city planners and environmental organizations as an expert on bats, night ecology and nature friendly lighting. 

It’s not too long ago that the Sun and Universe revolved around the Earth. That was the thinking until science and the arts began to see that the data just didn’t line up. Valerie reveals to us how knowledge gained in astronomy and cosmology influenced art and architecture. WATCH this episode, if you can. Having studied at the Universities of Bristol, Manchester and the Witwatersrand (South Africa), Dr Valerie Shrimplin has lectured extensively on Byzantine, Medieval and Renaissance Art and Architecture – and on sixteenth-century history as well. In particular, she has published quite widely on the influence of astronomy and cosmology on art (including her PhD on the influence of Copernican heliocentricity on Michelangelo’s Sistine Last Judgment). 

Climate change. Air pollution. Plastics. Chemicals. Pollution is a challenge. How do we deal with light pollution? As Georgia says, “with the flick of a switch!” It’s that easy. But is light pollution yet seen as pollution? Georgia is doing her part as the Mayo Dark Sky Park Development Officer for the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service. And you’re invited to visit. As a mature student, Georgia completed a BA (Hons) in Outdoor Education, which resulted in a dissertation on the subject of light pollution and fueled an interest in protecting and restoring our dark skies. This formed the basis of an application to the International Dark Sky Association and the gold tier accreditation of Mayo International Dark Sky Park. Together with local community members, she worked to raise awareness of light pollution and became a founder member of the non-governmental organization "Dark Sky Ireland" to facilitate engagement at all levels from grassroots to policy. 

Camilla has an interesting way of looking at lighting design. Rather than a lighting designer, she calls herself a “darkness designer.” Camilla explains to Michael and John her philosophy on darkness, and how it is revealed with the use of light. Camilla leaves you with a little exercise on how to embrace darkness. Camilla has a bachelor’s degree in Design Culture and a master’s degree in Lighting Design from Aalborg University in Denmark. She started working as a team manager in a museum in Copenhagen, but continued working on research within light and darkness with Aalborg University and developing lighting on Anholt island in collaboration with the Dark Sky Anholt Association. 

In this special year-end episode, Michael and John discuss issues that have come up over the past year in the Darkness Restoration and Preservation movement. Have things improved? Are we getting there? 2023 is upon us, let’s get it done! 

Sabine is a full time Dark Sky Officer for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sternenpark Rhön. Sabine explains to Michael how she has become an expert on laws regarding light and light pollution. While she can’t issue tickets (yet), she can use her authority and expertise to improve bad light and advise on development plans. If you’re in lighting, listen to Sabine in this episode! Since childhood, Sabine has been an amateur astronomer and has been active in nature and species conservation. Being fed up with “male astronomy” techniques, she developed star guiding tours that include the nightly landscape, the moon, night clouds (which are very special), mythology, invisible things and all sorts of issues about the darkness. Initiator and pioneer of the IDA Dark Sky Reserve Sternenpark Rhön, she has been coordinator and the official dark sky officer of the park for almost 10 years where she has specialized in public relations, star guidance and most of all, de-illumination. 

Michael Colligan was inspired to be a Dark Sky advocate by William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night's Dream.” The stars have inspired countless poets. Kerem considers the night to be a “realm” and he specializes in dark sky friendly lighting design for what he likes to call, “the urban and rural public realm.” Kerem Asfuroglu is the founder of Dark Source, a London-based lighting design studio driven by social and environmental values. Following his graduation from Wismar University – Architectural Lighting Design MA, Kerem has worked at Speirs + Major as a senior member of the creative team for 8 years. Throughout his career, he has won several design awards including Red Dot, Vox Juventa, PLDC, LAMP and LIT. 

Mark originally wanted to be a painter and painting to him was like subtracting light as paint is added to a white canvas. Conversely, in lighting, one is adding light to darkness. And this led Mark to understand you can’t talk about light without talking about darkness. Michael discusses with Mark how we have lost much of our understanding of the value of darkness as lights have gotten cheaper and more efficient. Mark formed Speirs Major with Keith Bradshaw which grew out of Speirs and Major Associates. Speirs Major are recognized as being one of the world’s leading lighting design practices, using light and darkness to enhance the experience of the visual environment.