Dark Mode - like Dark Skies initiative

Does going Dark Mode also bring up Dark Skies? Dark mode is to limit white light of your mobile device that leads to saving energy which saves our environment, and Dark skies is to reflect white light from going into the sky and staying focused on the ground from building and parking lot lights, therefore, the skies remain dark for the enjoyment our star watching, stellar space gazing, and outside night time entertainment.

 

Back in 2005, one of the master planning initiatives for the region was controlling growth in a sustainable way. I liked all the hubbub about save this, protect that, carbon less  this and that. Washoe and Storey County Nevada had a conservation district board, for which I was a board supervisor and treasurer. So, I looked around and noticed that Lake Tahoe had the Dark Skies initiative that they put into the master planning and zoning requirements for construction, new and modified. Fast forward, and the Dark Skies initiative was brought by me from the Lake Tahoe master planning to the Storey County planning, zoning and permitting. A win.

 

But really? no one cares to look at the skies and enjoy the stars? I do. I love the stars. I love to see the jets and satellites fly over. I love to see the clouds at night moving past quietly. Don't you?

  

Well, in 1999, the 2000 master planning session I was leading the charge with in Humboldt County as a Regional Planning Commissioner had similar inklings of this concept. Dark skies for Flagstaff Arizona could be ours as well. Our master plan needed to be based on the master plan from Flagstaff Arizona. It was a good model. We used a lot of it.

 

To say the least, let's have:

 

1. Dark Mode to save energy and our eyes from macular degeneration and

2. Dark Skies to save our night sky for all our enjoyment.

 

Dark Mode, theme it to limit white so less power.

Dark Skies, cap the parking lot lights to reflect the light to the ground where it is needed the most.

 

more to come...

 

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