Photo courtesy of the Village of Hawthorn Woods
Environment Committee Meeting on 2-18-25: Dark Skies
Presentations:
- Dark Skies Overview presentation slides (first half of overview slides – What’s the problem?, second half of slides – What’s the Solution? – split because of large file size) – Ken Walczak, Senior Manager, Adler Planetarium; Board of Directors, DarkSky International; and Associate Member, Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
- Better Outdoor Lighting – What Can You Do – David Barcus, Dark Sky Chicago, Chicago Chapter Co-Founder
- The DOs and DON’Ts of Outdoor Municipal Lighting – Devin Wall, National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD) Ambassador, Louvers International, and Lighting and Darkness Foundation, Founding Member
- Village of Homer Glen: Illinois’ First International Dark Sky Community – Taylor Udarbe, Village Planner, Village of Homer Glen
- Westmont Dark Skies Initiatives – Christa Stanulis, Westmont Environmental Improvement Committee, Member
Resources:
- Lighting Ordinance – Village of Homer Glen, Illinois’ First International Dark Sky Community
- Village of Westmont Dark Sky Grant Program
- Submit a Proclamation for International Dark Sky Week on April 21-28, 2025
- Become an International Dark Sky Community
- Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act – This Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and requires the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to follow dark skies best practices when replacing luminaires on properties the IDNR owns or manages. The Act also includes language to encourage local governments to set an example by implementing responsible outdoor lighting.
- Another case study – The Glen Ellyn Park District installed dark sky compliant lighting and other sustainable features when updating its Dr. Frank Johnson Center (first article in newsletter). Another Park District accomplishment is that Ackerman Park’s softball fields have achieved DarkSky approval, making them the first outdoor sports complex in Illinois to receive the certification.
- BirdCast website – Speaker Ken Walczak shared a video from this website of bird migration patterns throughout the night, when discussing how birds may be confused by bright lights around or in buildings at night. The bright lights can cause birds to collide with buildings; more than 1,000 birds collided with McCormick Place in 2023, but new bird-friendly glass at McCormick Place has reduced collisions by 95%.
Article about the meeting:
- IDA Chicago Chapter Presents to Metropolitan Mayors Caucus – Chicago Chapter of Dark Sky International
Return to the Environment Committee webpage.