--- title: Look Up at the Night Sky, Can You See the Shining Stars? description: E Ink Digital Paper Helps Cut Light Pollution - Lets us See the Stars. image: https://blog.eink.com/hubfs/bus%20schedule%202022.png --- [![eink_logo](https://blog.eink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EInk_May2018/Images/eink_logo.png?width=160&height=76&name=eink_logo.png "eink_logo")](https://insights.eink.com?hsLang=en) - [E Ink Website |](https://www.eink.com) - [About E Ink |](https://www.eink.com/about-us.html) - [Contact Sales |](https://www.eink.com/contact_sales.html) - [E Ink Kit Store](https://shopkits.eink.com/) ## E Ink Extras E Ink. We Make Surfaces Smarter. [![](https://blog.eink.com/hubfs/bus%20schedule%202022.png)](https://blog.eink.com/look-up-at-the-night-sky-can-you-see-the-shining-stars) # Look Up at the Night Sky, Can You See the Shining Stars? Posted by [E Ink](https://blog.eink.com/author/e-ink) on 2022-02-16 Remember those days when sky-gazing was a favorite pastime activity for children? Something about the dark sky – its vastness, remoteness and grandeur – enchants our minds and calms our spirits. Today, the sky above us sure looks different. The increased and widespread use of artificial light – from street lights, to house lighting, to city signage and advertising – has hidden our view of the sky. **What Happened in the Last Hundred Years?** One hundred years ago, you could walk outside your door and have a clear view of the starry sky above you. Today, according to a [study](https://www.darksky.org/80-of-world-population-lives-under-skyglow-new-study-finds/) conducted by Science Advances, 99 percent of the public in the United States and Europe can’t experience a natural night unaffected by light pollution. This finding draws serious concerns about light pollution. Excessive artificial outdoor light not only affects our views, but has environmental impact on people, wildlife and the climate. Just take a look at the before and after of the 2003 Northeast blackout – a massive power outage that had the side effect of showcasing what a natural dark sky truly looks like.   ![outtage before after 2022](https://blog.eink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/outtage%20before%20after%202022.jpg?width=300&name=outtage%20before%20after%202022.jpg) *Before and during the 2003 Northeast blackout, a massive power outage affecting 55 million people.* *Credit: International Dark-Sky Association*   **Bringing Stars Back to the Night Sky** So how do we address this challenge? As connected technology becomes more prevalent, the solution is not necessarily about reducing technology in cities, but rethinking how urban lighting is conducted. In fact, as cities continue to become smarter, the need to deliver timely information to citizens while actively working to reduce companies’ carbon footprint has never been greater. Paving the way is the City of Pittsburg, which has made considerable strides in balancing environmental concerns and the aesthetic of the urban city. In 2021, it became the [first major city](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/10/7/2055974/-The-first-major-city-in-the-United-States-passes-a-dark-sky-ordinance?detail=emaildkre) to pass a dark-sky ordinance in alignment with [International Dark-Sky Association’s](https://www.darksky.org/) (IDA) values of sustainability and green living. Being a light pollution hotspot, it will be interesting to see the positive changes that will take place in Pittsburg in the years to come.   ![Pittsburgh night sky 2022](https://blog.eink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pittsburgh%20night%20sky%202022.jpg?width=300&name=Pittsburgh%20night%20sky%202022.jpg) *Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this “before shot” on Aug. 1, 2021, to register the light pollution levels in Pittsburgh. Even from far out in space, the city lights were easily recognizable.* *Credit: NASA*     **E Ink’s Commitment to Sustainability** At E Ink, sustainability has always been a core component of our business. In fact, we are the [first display technology to be certified through the IDA](https://www.eink.com/news.html?type=releasedetail&id=2547&year=2022&page=1).   ![bus schedule 2022](https://blog.eink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bus%20schedule%202022.png?width=300&name=bus%20schedule%202022.png) *Credit: E Ink*   As a reflective technology, our displays contribute less light pollution and use less energy. Due to the unique attributes of digital paper, E Ink’s displays do not emit any light, using ambient lighting around them to be viewed. When incorporated into smart city signage or outdoor displays, digital paper offers an organic viewing experience without introducing bright light that disrupts the neighborhood or the environment. Sustainability is no longer a buzzword that will fade away in time, and the health of our people and our environment comes first. Building a smart city is a collaborative effort, and we all have a part to play to ensure that the future is connected, shared, and sustainable. What can each of us do? Check out [IDA’s helpful tips](https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/) that can help us get started. Let’s bring back the starry night sky for more generations to enjoy!   Topics: [Digital Paper](https://blog.eink.com/tag/digital-paper), [Digital Signage](https://blog.eink.com/tag/digital-signage), [Sustainability](https://blog.eink.com/tag/sustainability), [Smart Cities](https://blog.eink.com/tag/smart-cities), [Electronic Ink Technology](https://blog.eink.com/tag/electronic-ink-technology), [About E Ink](https://blog.eink.com/tag/about-e-ink), [IoT](https://blog.eink.com/tag/iot), [internet of things](https://blog.eink.com/tag/internet-of-things) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## Leave Comment ### Subscribe to Our Blog ### Most Popular ### Post By Topic - [Electronic Ink Technology (176)](https://blog.eink.com/tag/electronic-ink-technology) - [Digital Paper (172)](https://blog.eink.com/tag/digital-paper) - [About E Ink (165)](https://blog.eink.com/tag/about-e-ink) - [ePaper (137)](https://blog.eink.com/tag/epaper) - [Digital Signage (126)](https://blog.eink.com/tag/digital-signage) - 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