Recently, I took a field trip to nearby Mentor, Ohio to observe their outdoor lights! Despite Mentor being quite close to Solon, OH (which I explored a few weeks ago), the lights were very different.
Photographic Observations:
For instance, their street lights are shielded completely!
And these aren't just regular neighborhood lights - these are their street lights for a majority of the area! These lights are 100% shielded and definitely prevent light pollution:
Law Observations:
I was curious why these outdoor lights are so much better than in Solon. Turns out, Mentor has a LAW regarding "light trespass" (another word for excessive, unprotected outdoor lighting):
In fact, I researched the city of Mentor's Codified Ordinances document and found that Chapter 1169 discusses the need for reduced light pollution: Here
In the ordinance, they discuss that shielded outdoor lights can "control glare, prevent light trespass, minimize obtrusive light, and conserve energy while maintaining safety, security and productivity". If you don't follow these regulations, you can even get a minor misdemeanor in Mentor, Ohio!
Mentor, Ohio was certainly different in contrast to other communities that I've observed before! I'm a lot more curious regarding the light pollution laws in Mentor and what led to their creation.
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