Global visions and local actions on artificial light at night

a case history from Italy at the beginning of its seventh year of activity

Andrea GiacomelliAttivarti.org

Piazza del Popolo 20, loc. Torniella, 58036 Roccastrada, Italyinfo@pibinko.org

July 3, 2014

Lighting design workshop

ESAD - Porto

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Who are we?

● Conceptually a “spin-off”● Environmental engineers (with research and

technology transfer background) ● Geographers● Archaeologists (renown for open innovation

expertise)● Interesting generational mix● Backed by a community

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Were are webased?

Torniella

Florence

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Where are we based?

More metres above sea level than residents...

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The model we use...

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

...and try to share

Citizens

Public sector

Private sector

NGOs

Note: It is statistically

difficult to find environments

where everybody wears just “one hat”

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Five aspects of light pollution

1. DIRECTION

2. INTENSITY

3. DISTRIBUTIONIN SPACE

4. DISTRIBUTIONIN TIME

5. EMISSION SPECTRUM

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Five impacts of light pollution

1. Energy consumption

2. Human Health

3. Fauna and flora

4. Safety (urban areas, roads)

5. Landscape (and astronomical observations)

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Five facts on Italy on artificial light at night

● Home of key studies on the global assessment of LP (late nineties)

● Home of state-of-the-art guidelines on light pollution● Top runner in Europe by pro capita kWh

consumption● No national laws about light pollution (two failed

attempts to date)● Regional laws in 18 Regions (out of 20)

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Some data

Public lighting – power per built square metre (w/m2). Da Differential Photometric Study of the European Light Emission to the Space, Alejandro Sànchez De Miguel (ASAAF-UCM. Department of Astrophysics and Atmospheric Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. GPC. Spain.), 2007 In Starlight - A Common Heritage, Cipriano Marin Editor. Starlight Initiative and IAC Publishers.

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Suomi NPP Mission

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...just a little closer

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From the ground

Photo: Thomas PoschPhoto: Thomas PoschLoNNe Intercomparison LoNNe Intercomparison Campaign 2013Campaign 2013Lastovo, CroatiaLastovo, Croatia

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“Close encounters of the third kind”

Credits: Francesco GiubbiliniCredits: Francesco Giubbilini

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A cultural issue...

Credits: Francesco GiubbiliniCredits: Francesco Giubbilini

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Light pollution laws in Italy

o0% ULOR

oULOR <= 3%

oULOR > 3%

oNo legislation availableNo legislation available

ULOR = Upward Lighting Output Ratio

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Summing it all up...● Fragmented (and partially enforced) regulatory

framework● Lots of margins for optimisation (some call it “waste”)● “pride and prejudice” let loose● ...but it's all so “che bello”!

Welcome to Italy! (Benvenuti in Italia)

IMPORTANT: we also have several best practice cases...not all is running amok

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Where did we say we are based?

Siena

Grosseto

Roma

Milano

Firenze

Torniella

Cinzno, Falchi, Elvidge, 2001Cinzno, Falchi, Elvidge, 2001

Napoli

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The BMP “trigger”Acknowledging a set of issues

- light pollution

- promotion of lesser known areas to foster local development

Having a combination of skill sets

- Environmental monitoring, geographic information systems, stargazing, open innovation tools and policies, media relations, languages, involvement in other EU-related initiatives

Add a little serendipity...

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...here we go!

BMP = BuioMetria Partecipativa

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Key BMP tracks

● Education & Awareness raising● Citizen Science● Information and communication

technology● Networking

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Our key projects related to light pollution

BuioMetria Partecipativa

CORDILIT

TOSCANASTELLATA/PAER

Loss Of the Night Network

Globe at Night – localized version

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

. . . .

?

On www.attivarti.org you will also find other “streams” of activity...these are not unrelated

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Outcome to date

● A national award in 2009● Publications and presentations (to date: more presentations!)● National media coverage● Collaborations (= income)● More “spin off” ventures● Engagement of institutional stakeholders (e.g. ECST, PAER)● Invitation to proposal and tenders starting● Actual citizen participation!

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Citizen science

We invite people to take measurements of night sky quality…

…with an accent on participatory methods

…following well-defined procedures…

Let's talk about crowdsourcing (not right

now)

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Measuring night sky quality

Immagini: SQM dal sito http://unihedron.com/projects/darksky/index.php e magnitudini concessione di Chuck Bueter dal sito http://www.nightwise.org/magnitudes.htm

VALOREmag/arcsec2

LUMINOSITA’

<19.5 cielo fortemente luminoso

20 cielo molto luminoso

20.5 cielo luminoso

21 cielo poco luminoso

21.5 cielo mediamente buio

>21.5 cielo estremamente

buio

SQM: measure light coming

from the sky

Measurement units:

mag/arcsec2

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

NOTE: this is “the easy way”...other technologies exist (see: LoNNe WG1)

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BMP measurements

● Over 1200 measurements made in 850 locations

● 9 “buiometers” deployed

● 104 buiometristi

● Local lending points (Puglia, Liguria, Emilia, Lombardia, Sardegna)

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

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Fixed stations: CORDILIT

● Continuous monitoring

● Stations in Veneto, Lombardia,

Toscana, Lazio (currently)

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

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In the media

Social networks and expert forums

CMSvideo

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“Hardware”

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The ICT part of the story

WMS

mappingreporting

Catalogue services

•Free software•Open data

ODbL

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Dissemination/outreach

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“Localized” Globe at Night●Global campaign – great story -US-driven

●Need (for us, as Europeans) to insure a local impact

●Need (for our “clients”) to minimise participation overhead

●Information technology provides easy solutions. Organisational and

“cultural” issues will always stand

●http://www.attivarti.org/gan

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

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Loss of the Night Network

●EU COST Programme

●Oct. 2012-Oct. 2016

●17 nations involved

●4 Working groups:

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

● WG1: measuring artificial light at night● WG2: AL and LP database● WG3 evaluation of economic value of the night (including tourism)● WG4: outreach/dissemination/links to industry

● Short-term Scientific Missions● Publications● Events● Priority toward Early-Stage Researchers and gender balance

http://ww.cost-lonne.eu

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Attivarti.org and Loss of the Night Network

●Priority in Work Group 4 (dissemination)

●Strong interest in Work Group 3 (economic

aspects)

●Possibility of contributing to the other groups

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

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Toscana Stellata (Starry Tuscany)

●Network of subject active on light pollution mitigation

●As per the “Veneto Stellato” model

●First line-up (Spring 2012): Attivarti.org, CAAT, Museo di Storia

Naturale del Mediterraneo di Livono, ALSA, SAIT Livorno

●New line-up taking shape: need a little more “earth people” to

balance “sky people”

Inquinamento Luminoso: accecati dalla luce

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Social NetworkingNot “virtual social networking”● Citizens● Local Administrations● Research bodies● Schools● Tourism-related businesses● Consulting companies● Forestry experts● NGOs● Anthropologists● ...

● Southern Tuscany● Tuscany● Italy● EU● USA● Far East (Hong Kong)

Ah, yes: other LP/AL experts!

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Actions 1/3

1.1. Support Attivarti.org1.2. Invite others to support Attivarti.org

1.3 check out www.attivarti.org and www.buiometriapartecipativa.org - where you can't

make it with Italian, write to info@pibinko.org

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Actions 2/3

2. Take part in the measurement campaigns2.1. “localized Globe at Night”

2.2. “standard BuioMetria Partecipativa”2.3 CORDILIT (monitoring stations)

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Actions 3/33.1. change luminaires...gracefully! ...remember 2012

and the “operazione cieli bui”

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Summary

● Who are we? Where are we based? Our model● Causes and effects of light pollution● Italy facts on artificial light at night● “Let the time warp begin”● Work we did, and are doing● Call to action● Outlook● Conclusions

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Where would we not like to be in 2021

Bertiau, Treanor, De Graeve 1971 2025?2025?

Falchi 1998; Falchi 1998; Falchi, Cinzano, Elvidge 2000Falchi, Cinzano, Elvidge 2000

wrongLEDs

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Coming up in 2014 by Attivarti.org

● July 8 – Grosseto “Rete turismo natura”● Summer: let's measure & survey● September: ALAN II + LoNNE ...possibly one

additional event in Milano● October: ASITA Conference● November: Attivarti.org day (focused on LoNNe)● December: New Year's Eve in Torniella?

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Conclusions● Things are moving. The BMP approach was

complex, but is gradually unfolding.● Come visit us in Italy...things will develop from there● ...we can come visit you● Consider the role of LoNNe for your country of

origin/activity, then let us know your thoughts.● Let's keep up the local actions (not forgetting the

global visions)!Andrea Giacomelli

http://www.pibinko.orginfo@pibinko.org

+39 347 15 33 857