The mission of The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting.
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) seeks to preserve dark skies worldwide for the benefit of society by promoting good outdoor lighting practices and educating the public on the rewards of preserving the stars. Light pollution is an increasing problem, threatening astronomical facilities, ecologically sensitive habitats, our energy consumption, and our human heritage. IDA was founded in 1988, by Dr. David L. Crawford and colleague Dr. Tim Hunter, to address the growing problem of light pollution.
As the leading organization combating light pollution worldwide, IDA is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2008. Over the past twenty years, IDA has grown from two members and volunteers, to a membership of over 11,000 and full time staff. In leading the fight against light pollution, IDA has published a number of articles and helpful guides and a quarterly newsletter highlighting the leading topics in dark sky preservation. This is in addition to award winning and highly popular meetings and events plus a number of programs and features, such as the Fixture Seal of Approval Program (FSA) or the International Dark Sky Communities (IDSC), Parks (IDSP), and Reserves (IDSR) Programs.
