THEME #4 ACHIEVING DARK SKY COMPLIANCE THROUGH VOLUNTARY AND REGULATORY MEANS

The participants in this session agree that behaviour change was needed in all areas:

Property owners Residential Commercial Industry Manufacturers Architects Designers Developers Dealers Contractors Professional associations such as OPPI, AMCTO, OPWA, OGRA, and Landscape Ontario Provincial Government Ministry of Transportation Boards of Education

Community groups Ratepayers Service clubs Citizen advisory groups Environmental alliances Municipalities Heads and members of local councils CAOs, lawyers, engineers, planners Association of Municipalities of Ontario Others Insurance companies

When the group considered the options for facilitating change, they came up with a wide range of choice.

• Media campaigns - TV commercials (TVO), trade magazines, Science TV
• Extended public awareness campaigns focusing on the health issues
• Incorporating the matter into lesson plans for the school curriculum and offering extra-curricular education programs e.g. through service clubs such as Boy Scouts/ Girl Guides etc.
• Developing standardized municipal by-laws by offering templates
• Encouraging provincial policy statements
• Encouraging laws at the provincial and federal levels
• Encouraging corporate direction buying policy (for commercial enterprises such as Loblaws, Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart)
• Offering NGO certification of products

The group suggested that it might be effective to employ the strategy of leading by example followed by outreach. The participants suggested that training be offered to the decision-makers, regulators, and enforcers. Financial incentives are often used to change behaviour and were suggested to encourage night sky friendly behaviour. Often, partnering with existing programs works to bring attention to a new issue. If light pollution is paired with general health promotion or if a cub badge is offered in dark sky friendliness, the message may be better communicated.

When asked to consider the barriers to the successful implementation of the options noted above, the group cited ignorance of the issue as the prime barrier — Lack of knowledge and lack of awareness. The level of potential liability (e.g. crime, vandalism) with respect to adverse effects of different illumination needs to be demonstrated for municipalities and businesses alike.

The group agreed that limited resources and competing issues and agendas make it difficult to obtain the attention of government agencies.

The problem of the financial cost of implementing the options was thought to be considerable in terms of capital outlay, engineering expense and administrative costs (e.g. for enforcement). And the cost of lighting conversion was considered as a potential hardship for businesses.

THEME SUMMARIES MENU

1. Scientific and Biological Interests
2. Importance of the Night Sky to the Cultural, Spiritual and Historical Worlds
3. Importance of the Night Sky to Human Health
4. Achieving Dark Sky Compliance through Voluntary and Regulatory Means
5. Recommendations from the Symposium Theme Sessions