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Just Imagine
Starry night sky gone by 2025
The National Park Service indicates the starry night sky will vanish in the contiguous US by 2025. http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/lightscapes/ The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization mentions "the Starlight vista has been and continue to be an inspiration of the mankind, and that its contemplation represents an essential element in the development of scientific thoughts in all civilizations." http://www.unesco.org/mab/starlight/doc/shortdeclaration.pdf The EPA has a legal duty through the Clean Air Act to preserve Federal Class 1 Areas and return them to "Natural Conditions" by 2064. Additionally, they are required to prevent the significant deterioration of many others. The Clean Air Act identifies atmospheric discoloration as a visibility impairment (brightening of the night sky due to man-made lights). Night sky visibility impairments appears to be first mentioned in the October 1979 Protecting Visibility: An EPA Report to Congress. http://vista.cira.colostate.edu/Improve/Publications/Principle/EPA_Report/chapter2.pdf pg 27 Who thinks an Orange or Grey night sky is natural?
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- future,
- environment,
- light,
- nps,
- pollution,
- night,
- sky,
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