Abstract
The night sky is a resource that’s vanishing. Across the country, almost half of the U.S. population experiences light-polluted nights. In the developed world, about ⅓ of the world’s population can’t see the Milky Way, according to a new study (Falchi, 2016). Why should we care? Are there dangers to our environment and health as a consequence of light pollution? Can graphic designers use their skills and knowledge to draw attention to the problems of light pollution? This paper discusses “Reconnect,” a senior capstone project created as a strategic initiative to increase awareness and appreciation for the dark sky. There’s plenty of light pollution to combat in our own county. A look at a local town on the website lightpollutionmap.info shows it glowing a dull orange, second only to red in the map’s radiance scale. Lights from heavy industry, parking lots, street lamps, and dawn-to-dusk security lights block our ability to see the night sky a generation ago saw. In addition, experts say it’s affecting our ecosystem, our electricity bills, and our health. ‘Reconnect’ provides people with a platform to learn and to share their deeper connection with the night sky. This comprehensive project works with organizations to bring awareness to individual light pollution problems in communities. As a result, a greater sense of involvement occurred and impactful solutions to light pollution emerged. The overall design evaluation considered the environmental, economic, social, and cultural impacts.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2020 Special Focus - Advocacy in Design: Engagement, Commitment, and Action
KEYWORDS
Light Pollution, Graphic Design, Storytelling, Design for Good
