Dark Skies
Why do Dark Skies matter?
Constellations that were easy to see when we were younger are currently obliterated by light pollution. Only 20% of the US can now see the Milky Way.
Artificial light can impact ecosystems and disrupt nocturnal animals, impacting certain cues that occur in true darkness.
Many bird species migrate at night, using the stars to navigate. However, artificial lights from homes, buildings, and cities can disorient them. This causes birds to become confused, leading to collisions with buildings or exhaustion from flying in circles. These 'bird strikes' result in up to a billion bird fatalities each year and pose a significant threat to already vulnerable populations, particularly during spring and fall migration season. .
A lighter night sky also creates a disconnect from our cultural heritage of "using the heavens to navigate, learn about, and interpret our place in the universe." (National Park Service)
How can we contribute to a dark night sky?
Dark Sky International makes it easy for us to make better choices with guidelines for our lighting. Some of their suggestions include auditing your outside lighting, asking yourself:
Do your lights have a clear purpose?
Is the light directed to where it is needed?
Are the lights generating more light than you really need?
Are your lights on all night long?
Are you using warmer colored lighting where possible?
Educate yourself on how you can improve your lighting, and encourage your neighbors and others to do the same, including entities like churches, the park district, the village, etc. Of note, Glen Ellyn Park District installed the state's first ever Dark Sky approved sports lighting on the new softball fields, as well as in the Johnson Center, and plans to do the same in the new downtown event park. These kinds of decisions can be made every day, but your support is needed to help our local institutions see the light. (pun intended!)
Other ways to help:
Appreciate the wonder of the night sky. Take a night hike, plan a vacation to a dark sky area, learn about the constellations and the locations of planets. (Here is a recommendation for apps to help stargazers).
After all that wonder and inspiration, get practical and take the International Dark Sky pledge! Repeat after me: "I pledge to protect the night by following the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting, using lights only when and where I need them, and learning more about the impacts of artificial light on wildlife, habitats, and my community.".
Help contribute to mapping the dark (or not so dark skies) with the Dark Sky Meter app (iphone)
Lights out for bird migration! Keep track of bird migration in your area (peaks in May and Late Sept!) and turn off or dim exterior lights and persuade businesses, schools, churches, and municipalities to dim their lights! Follow birdcast to see bird migration stats in real time.
