I recently read about Mayor Joe Hogsett’s plan to revamp the streetlights of Indianapolis with new LED lights to improve visibility and cut down on energy costs. On its surface, I don’t have an issue with this plan. 

However, I do hope the city takes the effects of light pollution seriously during this revamping process. According to lightpollutionmap.info, the central region surrounding Indianapolis. stretching from Noblesville all the way down to Greenwood, has some of the worst night sky visibility measurable. Electric lights sent up to the sky block the visibility of stars, planets, and galaxies, leaving a vast black swath of nothingness to gaze upon.

The design of lighting fixtures can greatly help reduce light pollution, directing light towards the street and blocking bulbs from aiming up into the sky. While I don’t expect all lights to be curtailed as that is unreasonable, I do hope that these updated lights will point towards the people on the ground and not at our beautiful night sky.

This letter was originally submitted to the editor of the Indianapolis Star and published July 27th, 2021 here.