The BOLD Initiative is a DarkSky Texas program to inspire, educate, and empower conservation-minded Texas businesses and organizations to reduce light pollution and wasted energy, and amplify the benefits of better lighting practices through educating those in their sphere of influence.
Did You Know...
Approximately 35% of light is wasted by unshielded or poorly aimed outdoor lighting!
This adds up to about three billion dollars in energy lost to light pollution in the United States alone. To make matters worse, about 15 million tons of carbon dioxide is emitted to power that wasted outdoor lighting causing direct harm to the environment.
Texas is losing its big and bright stars at night. By minimizing the impact of outdoor lighting, Texas will protect living things on which true conservation of land and water depends, restore natural nighttime skies where they are being hidden by sky glow, and promote astronomy-based education, recreation, and tourism.
Implementation of the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting can reduce outdoor energy usage by 50% to 95%!
Additional benefits of following these guidelines are worth the effort and include:
✅ Improved nighttime visibility, making everyone safer.
✅ Reduced health issues.
✅ Decreased energy consumption, saving money.
✅ Diminished harm to animals and plants.
✅ Bigger and brighter shining Texas stars.
The BOLD Initiative recognizes, applauds, and promotes partners as exceptional Texas organizations who provide the light their visitors and employees need while being good stewards of the earth and sharing educational data about the whys and hows to reduce light pollution. In addition, each BOLD Initiative partner’s property will be eligible for the Be A Star Award when they come into compliance with the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting. Carefully designed outdoor lighting is a win-win for everyone.
Join us in our mission to combat light pollution across the Lone Star State.
DarkSky Texas and Partner Expectations
Evaluate and update existing lighting. DarkSky Texas will assist in the evaluation of each partner’s current lighting with the creation of a lighting inventory and assessment. A plan will be then be devised to have all of the partner’s outdoor lighting follow the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting within a five year timeline.
Creation of educational materials customized for the partner’s situation. DarkSky Texas will provide BOLD Initiative partners with customizable educational messaging and materials to educate the partner’s employees, volunteers, customers, and any other audience they serve.
Promote the partner’s accomplishments. DarkSky Texas will join the partner in promoting their work regarding the reduction of light pollution and reaching their Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals.
Assess and update partner’s outdoor lighting as needed. Partner will agree to create a plan to update any outdoor lighting that does not follow the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting within a five year timeline.
Share dark sky educational materials. Partners will work with the DarkSky Texas Team to customize and incorporate light pollution reduction educational information into materials for employees, volunteers, and/or customers.
Complete project surveys. Partner will measure and share changes in organizational awareness of light pollution, as well as knowledge and application of the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting.
Promote the BOLD Initiative partnership and win-win for everyone.
Imagine the domino effect of having public attractions and spaces being the shining examples of better lighting and at the same time providing information on why and how it can be done with every outdoor light. This initiative is a huge educational rollout to the entire state which can amplify the benefits of better lighting practices many times over.
If you are a conservation minded organization, business, club, nonprofit, governmental entity, or facility that hosts the public, then Texas needs your help! Here are the benefits of joining the BOLD Initiative:
1. Reduce your energy usage and artificial light footprint.
2. Get customized light pollution reduction educational materials for your employees to reach your Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals!
3. DarkSky Texas will promote your light pollution reduction accomplishments.
Complete the Form to Get Started
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