TJ student is on a mission to reduce light pollution
Rushil Kukreja, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, is so committed to reducing light pollution, he founded a nonprofit organization and is working on drafting legislation to address the problem.
He even spoke at a science summit at the United Nations in October on potential solutions.
Princia, the 501(c)(3) Rushil launched in 2023, includes 250 advocates across the globe working to address the environmental, health, and ecological impacts of light pollution through education, research, policy, and community engagement.
The organization has secured a grant from Cornell University to further its mission.
Rushil, a resident of Falls Church who grew up in an apartment with bright city lights, says, “I’ve always been interested in astronomy and looking at stars, but it’s difficult here.”
This issue hit closer to home when his aunt, a nurse who worked long nighttime shifts during the pandemic, was diagnosed with breast cancer. A higher prevalence of cancer among nighttime workers is linked to artificial light, he says, because “it disrupts the circadian rhythms of the body.”
That motivated Rushil to address light pollution as not just an environmental issue but also a human health crisis.
He says solutions to reduce light pollution include using warmer colored tones – rather than blue light – and having streetlights shielded downward rather than projecting light in all directions.
Rushil is working with Del. Rip Sullivan, a Democrat representing McLean and Great Falls in the General Assembly, to propose legislation to curb light pollution.
The legislation would establish an education program involving several state agencies to:
- inform the public about the adverse impacts of light pollution on public health, wildlife, and the environment;
- promote best practices for outdoor lighting, including energy-efficient technologies and appropriate lighting levels; and
- encourage citizens to report instances of excessive or inappropriate outdoor lighting.
The bill would also grant authority to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, in consultation with the Virginia Association of Astronomical Societies, to designate areas free of excessive artificial light as “dark sky preserves.”
In Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance to limit light pollution within a half-mile radius of the astronomical observatory at Turner Farm Park in Great Falls.
The Town of Vienna is working on revamping the lighting regulations it adopted in 2023 to reduce light pollution.
Rushil would like to see a similar effort in Fairfax County but notes “Cost is definitely a problem. There is no overwhelming support at the county level.”
There is more support from state officials, he says. “We reached out to dozens of Virginia legislators. Quite a few are very interested.”
5 responses to “TJ student is on a mission to reduce light pollution”
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excellent and a very worthwhile mission! darksky.org is an excellent organization to also learn more.
So important including fireflies as well as Nature in addition to cited in the study. Wishing success to Rushil!
Please look at DarkSky NOVA for more information on solving light pollution. DarkSky NOVA is the Northern Virginia chapter of DarkSky International. Join us!
darkskynova.org
DarkSky NOVA is the Northern Virginia chapter of DarkSky International. Join us!
darkskynova.org
Thank you for this article about one of the many efforts in this region to fight light pollution however this statement is incorrect.
Rushil would like to see a similar effort in Fairfax County but notes “Cost is definitely a problem. There is no overwhelming support at the county level.”
Fairfax County is extremely supportive of efforts to solve and to reverse the light pollution problem in the county. Fairfax County made light pollution one of its environmental goals years ago. Outdoor lighting ordinances have been enacted, and while still needing some work to fully protect residents from instrusive light, Fairfax County is the leader in this region for creating resources to educate about this problem and for regular outreach to the community through its webpages and district supervisor offices. A backpack with a light pollution monitoring/dark skies kit is available for checkout in the Fairfax County Public Library system. This backpack includes a SQM- sky quality meter to measure the sky quality.
Over the past 4 years Fairfax County has issued proclamations for International Dark Sky Week, participated in multiple events to raise the awareness of light pollution recognizing the economic savings to the tax payers from efficient and responsible outdoor lighting in addition to the adverse human health and environmental impacts light pollution has hosted by Dark Sky Friends. Chairman McKay has commented on the cost savings resulting from well designed, good lighting.
The Town of Vienna included language about light trespass and blinding glare in its codes for the first time in 2024 and is currently working on the detailed outdoor lighting ordinance. The Town’s effort included hiring one of the top expert consulting firms in the country in the dark skies field to assist in crafting them.
Please take a look at darksky.org darkskynova.org and darkskyfriends.org to learn more about the 5 Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting at Night and how you can be a part of the solution to solve light pollution starting with your own home and/or business. And to learn more about the continuing efforts in the Washington DC metropolitan area to address light pollution.