Lacombe County has released a guide to dark sky principles, in an effort to reduce the amount of light pollution, help you save money, and improve your health.

The recently adopted Municipal Development Plan included the new policies which encouraged the inclusion of dark sky principles into future building designs within the county.

The Guide to Dark Sky Principles is all about reducing the amount of unnatural light we expose ourselves too, which can have negative side effects on our physical and mental wellbeing, as well as making it harder to see the stars at night.

Senior Planner with Lacombe County Anita O' Driscoll says a big part of this guide is to help reduce the amount of light pollution in general, so the sky is more visible at night. She says most people don't realize the amount of light they waste every day. 

“Probably the most astounding figure that’s ever been brought out is that we don’t use 30-50% of the light that we have on. It’s not beneficial to us, it’s complete wastage, and by incorporating some principles, perhaps that wastage can be lessened.”

O' Driscoll says you can easily take steps to reduce light pollution in your existing structures.

“Using natural light, LED’s, having your lights on timers, having shielded lights so they don’t go into the sky, only lighting the area that you are using, like using a desk lamp instead of turning the light on in the whole room.”

O'Driscoll says taking these steps can make a tremendous difference in preserving a natural nighttime environment, and enables us to enjoy natural phenomena’s like the aurora borealis.

You can pick up a copy of the Guide to Dark Sky Principles at the Lacombe County office, or you can download it off the County’s website here.