Filtering by: Lights Out Program
![A Closer Look at Model Outdoor Lighting Regulations for Connecticut]()
Is your town or city ready for better lighting rules? In the webinar we will take a closer look at our new Model Outdoor Lighting Regulations for Connecticut, an easy-to-implement policy that helps Connecticut communities to safely reduce light pollution at little or no cost, while reducing unnecessary lighting. Based on the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting and lighting law best practices in Connecticut towns like Canton and Greenwich, the model policy was designed for communities that want to use policy to better manage nighttime lighting and limit light pollution in their jurisdictions. We will also discuss ways you can convince your Town Council or Planning & Zoning Department to adopt better lighting rules, including by making the case that Lights Out Connecticut's outdoor lighting regulations result in energy and money savings, lower carbon emissions, bird and wildlife protections, and better views of the night sky.
Format: In-depth discussion with Leo Smith, Chair of the Connecticut Chapter of DarkSky., and Meredith Barges, co-author of the Model Regulations and Co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut.
Register for the Zoom link.
![Science of Bird Migration and Light Pollution in Connecticut -- Lesson Plan LAUNCH!]()
Join us for this special webinar celebrating the launch of Lights Out Connecticut’s new educational tool, a 5-day lesson plan for Connecticut middle-school science classrooms to promote learning on light pollution and its impacts on migratory birds. In the lesson plan, students learn about how and why birds migrate through Connecticut, discover how human development can negatively impact migratory birds during migration, and help come up with solutions. Written by Catherine Ferreri, a Connecticut middle-school educator, the learning module equips science students with age-appropriate information and critical thinking skills to answer questions like—why do birds migrate, what species of birds migrate near me, what kinds of foods do they eat during migration, and why are migratory birds an important part of ecosystems? The launch is specially timed for the start of fall bird migration in Connecticut on August 15. Our hope is that this educational resource, which meets Next Generation Science Standards, will foster greater appreciation and care for migratory birds and the night sky by young people and local communities in Connecticut. This project was funded by the Hartford Audubon Society and individual donations to Lights Out Connecticut.
Format: Interview with Catherine Ferreri, lesson plan author and science teacher at Coleytown Middle School in Westport, CT; and Meredith Barges, lesson plan co-developer and co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut.
Register for the Zoom link.
![Humans and The Night Sky: Our Lost Heritage]()
Light pollution has robbed us from experiencing the night sky. With this loss humans have suffered from insomnia, stress, and increased cancer rates.
Join us as we explore the human connection to the cosmos focusing on mythologies, human health, and well-being.
Presenter Craig Repasz is cochair of the Lights Out Connecticut project of Menunkatuck. He is also the President of the Friends of Stewart B McKinney NWR, an organization devoted to supporting this important refuge. He enjoys backpacking and conducts Mountain Birdwatch surveys for the Vermont Center of Ecostudies, focusing on the Bicknell’s Thrush and other high elevation species.
Register for the Zoom program.
