Host Bill McGeeney is joined by Art Hushen, founder of the National Institute of Crime Prevention.

The seemingly harmless advice to leave all your exterior lights on overnight might not be the crime deterrent you think it is. Host, Bill McGeeney, reconnects with Art Hushin, a 30-year law enforcement veteran and founder of the National Institute of Crime Prevention, to dissect the popular #9PMRoutine campaign sweeping across police departments in the US and Canada.

What started in Florida in 2017 as a well-meaning initiative has attempted to craft people's habits into a nightly ritual: remove valuables from your car, lock all entry points, and keep exterior lights blazing until dawn. But does that last recommendation actually make us safer?

Art brings fascinating insights from his decades of experience, revealing how modern criminals have adapted to constant lighting by simply covering up – hoodies pulled low, faces obscured from cameras.

Our discussion explores more effective alternatives that balance security needs with environmental concerns. Motion-activated lighting emerges as a superior option, creating an immediate stimulus that often causes intruders to look up reflexively – "that puts that extra doubt" in their minds about being detected.

Perhaps most revealing is Art's perspective on simple solutions like actually using garages for cars instead of storage boxes, eliminating tempting targets altogether. Whether you're concerned about property crime, light pollution, or simply want to make smarter security choices, this conversation offers practical wisdom that goes beyond simplified routines and outdated assumptions about keeping the lights on.

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Why Support Light Pollution News?

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About Light Pollution News:

The path to sustainable starry night solutions begin with being a more informed you.

Light Pollution, once thought to be solely detrimental to astronomers, has proven to be an impactful issue across many disciplines of society including ecology, crime, technology, health, and much more!

But not all is lost! There are simple solutions that provide for big impacts. Each month, Bill McGeeney, is joined by upwards of three guests to help you grow your awareness and understanding of both the challenges and the road to recovering our disappearing nighttime ecosystem.

This month's guests:

• Stephanie Vermillion, Travel Journalist and Author.
• Traci Cardinal, President of Dark Sky Ohio.
• Shane Ludtke, host of the Actual Astronomy Podcast.

Bill's News Picks:

• World Becomes Brighter as Trump Reverses Biden’s Incandescent Light Bulb Ban, Leslie Eastman, Legal Insurrection.
• E Ink's color ePaper tech gets supersized for outdoor displays, Paul Ridden, New Atlas.
• Portsmouth Neighborhood Wins Light Pollution Battle with Tiverton Boatyard, Michael Rock, Fun107.
• It Pays to Sit Tight: Stable Night-Time Incubation Increases Hatching Success in Urban and Forest Great Tits, Parus major, Zoological Science.
• How You Can Still Stargaze Under Light Pollution, Tony Phillips, HowToGeek.

Subscribe:

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Tag Us and Share with a Friend:

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Connect:

• Bill@LightPollutionNews.com
• Join our Mailing List

Send Feedback Text to the Show!

Support the show

A hearty thank you to all of our paid supporters out there. You make this show possible.

For only the cost of one coffee each month you can help us to continue to grow. That’s $3 a month. If you like what we’re doing, if you think this adds value in any way, why not say thank you by becoming a supporter!

Why Support Light Pollution News?

• Receive quarterly invite to join as live audience member for recordings with special Q&A session post recording with guests.
• Receive all of the news for that month via a special Supporter monthly mailer.
• Satisfaction that your support helps further critical discourse on this topic.

About Light Pollution News:

The path to sustainable starry night solutions begin with being a more informed you.

Light Pollution, once thought to be solely detrimental to astronomers, has proven to be an impactful issue across many disciplines of society including ecology, crime, technology, health, and much more!

But not all is lost! There are simple solutions that provide for big impacts. Each month, Bill McGeeney, is joined by upwards of three guests to help you grow your awareness and understanding of both the challenges and the road to recovering our disappearing nighttime ecosystem.

This month's guests:

• Stephanie Vermillion, Travel Journalist and Author.
• Traci Cardinal, President of Dark Sky Ohio.
• Shane Ludtke, host of the Actual Astronomy Podcast.

Bill's News Picks:

• China: Eerie jellyfish-like streetlight spotted in China, Stingers Hub.
• Dark Sky Week deemed dangerous, fails in North Dakota Senate, Jeff Beach, North Dakota Monitor.
• This New ‘Astro Trail’ in Arizona Is Located in One of the ‘Astronomy Capitals of the World'—and Makes Stops at Observatories, State Parks, and More, Evie Charrick, Travel + Leisure.
• Inside the Private Astronomy Village Hidden in the Darkest Part of Georgia, Blake Guthrie, Matador Network.
• Commentary: A tale of two cities, Bob Yoesle, Columbia Gorge News.

Subscribe:

• Apple Podcast
• Spotify
• Youtube

Tag Us and Share with a Friend:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Facebook

Connect:

• Bill@LightPollutionNews.com
• Join our Mailing List

Send Feedback Text to the Show!

Support the show

A hearty thank you to all of our paid supporters out there. You make this show possible.

For only the cost of one coffee each month you can help us to continue to grow. That’s $3 a month. If you like what we’re doing, if you think this adds value in any way, why not say thank you by becoming a supporter!

Why Support Light Pollution News?

• Receive quarterly invite to join as live audience member for recordings with special Q&A session post recording with guests.
• Receive all of the news for that month via a special Supporter monthly mailer.
• Satisfaction that your support helps further critical discourse on this topic.

About Light Pollution News:

The path to sustainable starry night solutions begin with being a more informed you.

Light Pollution, once thought to be solely detrimental to astronomers, has proven to be an impactful issue across many disciplines of society including ecology, crime, technology, health, and much more!

But not all is lost! There are simple solutions that provide for big impacts. Each month, Bill McGeeney, is joined by upwards of three guests to help you grow your awareness and understanding of both the challenges and the road to recovering our disappearing nighttime ecosystem.