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Excess nighttime lighting, generally called light pollution, has increased much during the last several decades and continues to grow at a high rate. For much of the population of North America and Europe, the night sky is no longer black, or even dark. Instead, almost bereft of stars, it glows yellow-orange, lit by poorly designed fixtures and spillover light from human activities. Satellite images of Earth no longer show the night side of our planet as dark. A 1998 study commissioned by the United States Department of Justice concluded there is no statistically significant evidence that street lighting affects the level of crime. The study found, however, that increased lighting decreases the fear of crime. In essence, poor lighting doesn't aid security; it simply makes you feel safer. In 2002, CNN reported on a study conducted by scientists at the University of Padua, Italy, and the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The researchers Found that a truly dark, starry sky is unavailable to two-thirds of the world's population. The researchers discovered that in some regions, true night never occurs because of illumination from lights located in nearby cities and towns. Dark adaptation -- your eyes becoming fully adjusted to low light levels is the key to the night-sky experience. Older people encounter difficulties with overly bright nighttime lighting. Changes within the eye due to age, such as diminished dark-adaptation speed, can prove dangerous. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) estimates that the United States alone wastes more than one billion dollars each year in energy costs for unnecessary lighting. INSETS: THE INTERNATIONAL DARK-SKY ASSOCIATION;SUCCESS STORY;THREE WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY (AND MONEY).