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Louisville Outdoor Lighting Ordinance <br />John sent the following email to Amelia Brackett at the Louisville Planning Department <br />on June 2, 2023: <br />Dear Ms. Brackett: <br />I am wondering about the status of the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance. I am currently chairing the <br />Louisville Bee City USA subcommittee of the Parks and Public Landscaping Advisory Board (sounds <br />official, doesn't it? ;<). Check out the cool logo that the hive (home office) sent to us. I think the <br />ordinance is a good idea, not just because it will reduce light pollution, and I think that it will actually <br />improve community safety, but also because our night flying insects don't do well with the current <br />lighting practices of the modern city/neighborhood. Many of these night fliers do important pollination <br />and biomass recycling tasks that can't be accomplished during daylight hours. <br />I recently viewed a webinar produced by the Xerces Society for Conservation of Invertebrates, where <br />the hazards of modern lighting to night -flying pollinators and other insects were described in detail <br />(hosted on YouTube, link below, sorry for the startup ads!). <br />Our worldwide insect population and species diversity is threatened by herbicides and pesticides, habitat <br />loss, and habitat fragmentation. Nighttime outdoor lighting only increases the hazards to the 60% of <br />insect species that are active at night. Humans and our ecosystem depend on insects for <br />pollination. They are a critical element of the food web, are responsible for biomass recycling, and they <br />can be entertaining and educational if we only take to time to look and listen. Imagine a Summer night <br />without the sound of crickets and katydids! <br />Anyway, if it would be helpful (and if I can get approval from the Louisville Bee City USA <br />subcommittee members), I'd like to submit a memo of support for consideration during the process of <br />moving this ordinance through to City Council. <br />Link to Xerces Society Lights Out presentation: <br />"Turn the Lights Out for Fireflies and Other Insects" <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahwnDeWzFOE <br />Thanks you for your time! <br />Regards, <br />John Webb <br />119 S Buchanan Ct. <br />Louisville, CO 80027 <br />Mobile: 303-917-0644 <br />