ESTIMATING THE WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR DARK SKIES

David M. Mitchell, Terrel Gallaway, Reed Olsen

Abstract: This work investigates the monetary value that people assign towards reducing light pollution in their hometown and in US national parks. Light pollution commonly refers to excessive or obtrusive artificial light caused by bad lighting design. Light pollution generates significant costs including negative impacts on wildlife, human health, astronomy, and wasted energy. The current work uses a contingent valuation method to determine the amount of damages that the public experiences from light pollution. The data is from surveys administered in four US national parks. We find that the more exposure and familiarity people have with light pollution, the more they are willing to pay to moderate it. Furthermore, approximately 50 percent of people surveyed were willing to pay some positive amount to reduce light pollution.

Keywords: light pollution, contingent valuation, national parks, artificial light, lighting design

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2017.0615004