Local resident and NASA Solar System Ambassador Ted Blank will hold a presentation Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Community Center about how light pollution affects all living creatures.

Blank will explain how simple and inexpensive changes to outdoor lighting can eliminate the source of problems more easily than almost any other type of environmental pollution, according to a press release.

Artificial light

Lighting up the night has given human productivity a huge boost as we have migrated from using whale oil lamps to incandescent bulbs and, most recently, to the highly efficient LED.

However, scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures, including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants, the release said.

Exposure to light at night can disrupt the 24-hour internal clock in people and impair sleep. The brightening night sky has now made it impossible for most people on Earth to enjoy the shared human heritage of the night sky.

Blank will discuss these effects and how minor changes to outdoor lighting can address the root of these light pollution problems.

Blank is a local resident, a board member of the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association and a NASA Solar System Ambassador.

He enjoys bringing his telescope out to Fountain Park for public viewing when the weather permits.

“Light Pollution, Why Should I Care?” is Thursday, Nov. 14, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Fountain Hills Community Center. Pre-registration is required at fountainhillsaz.gov. Course #2915.

The lecture is free for Community Center members and $5 for non-members.

For more information, call the Community Center at 480-816-5200.