Capped fixtures keep light from going skyward. Photo by Gary Weinheimer

Unfortunately, the DePaolis are among a shrinking minority in the United States. Two-thirds of the U.S. population can no longer see the Milky Way from their homes, according to a worldwide study by astronomers at the University of Italy, Padova, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado. And the problem will only grow worse unless something is done about light pollution.

Preserving the dark sky was a priority for the DePaolis when they built their home, so they took great care when choosing outdoor lighting. They stayed away from glaring security lights and bright globes that splatter light everywhere. All their outdoor fixtures—designed with an old-world, European flavor to match the house—are capped and use low-voltage candelabra-style bulbs. The lamps emit a warm glow to light the path around the house without emitting glare which mars views of the dark sky.

“I wanted to have something that would look nice with the style of the home but not make a huge impact,” Maureen says. “It’s pretty important to all our neighbors, too. Nobody has anything that’s glaring and over-the-top.”

Saving the dark sky from light pollution is a growing concern in the Reno and Tahoe area and a greater consideration in planning for development. The City of Reno included tighter lighting standards to preserve the dark sky in a lighting ordinance for the Redfield Regional Center, a wide swath of land near the Mount Rose Highway and U.S. 395, and will consider similar standards in other suburban areas.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is looking at the issue, too. Preserving the dark sky was one of the top issues, right along with water clarity, expressed in public meetings for Pathway 2007, the effort to update the Tahoe Basin’s 20-year plan. The ability to see the stars is a big draw, and visitors and residents don’t want to lose it. Anyone who has stood under the vast starlit sky in the Black Rock Desert or Mount Rose Wilderness understands.
The good news is that the light pollution problem is solvable, says Barbara Rainey, co-director of the Northern Nevada chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association, which is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.

Rainey says she has been interested in the night sky for as long as she can remember, but she got involved with the dark-sky movement in the last several years as more development moved southward toward her home in Galena. When she moved to the area in 1983, the city was 12 miles away. Now, development is across the street.

Homeowners can help preserve the night sky simply by making careful choices with their outdoor lighting. Effective lighting illuminates whatever needs to be lit without sending light upward or producing glare, and it adds beauty. Rainey calls it jewelry for the home. Soft washes of light on walls accent architectural features, and capped, low-wattage lanterns provide a welcoming glow.

The International Dark-Sky Association’s “Fixture Seal of Approval” certifies that products are dark-sky friendly. (View the directory of certified products at www.darksky.org/programs/fixture-seal-of-approval.php.) Many products haven’t gone through the certification process, though, but are still appropriate. Here are some things to keep in mind to make good dark-sky lighting choices:

• Look for fixtures that are capped or shielded on top—there’s no need, after all, to send light into the sky. Avoid unshielded wall packs, for instance, which besides creating glare produce a “prison yard look,” Rainey says.

• Use motion detectors so lights come on only when they’re needed. Security lights that stay on all night are like car alarms that go off so frequently that no one pays any attention to them, Rainey says. “It’s like crying wolf.”

• Use the lowest wattage possible, Rainey advises. A common mistake is using lights that are too bright. “All you see is this glare in your eye,” she says. Not only do too-bright lights waste energy and money, they also create harsh shadows, providing hiding spaces for intruders.

• Think about how the lights will look at night. A no-brainer? Not necessarily. Many people choose solely on how the fixtures appear in the daytime.

• Do your homework. Maureen DePaoli looked at hundreds of lighting products on the Internet and at local lighting stores before choosing fixtures. She also recommends looking at other homes you admire to get ideas.

Barbara Marquand is a Reno-based freelance writer and children’s author.