I was fortunate to spend a night in a remote area of New Mexico where I viewed the beautiful milky way galaxy and many shooting stars. Being a city girl, I was in complete awe. It was not until my transition to landscape design that I learned more about the problems of light pollution. My goal is to educate clients and design for dark sky everywhere, even in residential landscapes.
Artificial lights can harm human health, migratory birds, night time pollinators such as moths and fireflies/lightning bugs, sea turtles, nocturnal mammals, and plants, to name a few.
In October 2023 a mass collision of thousands of migratory birds occurred near Chicago’s McCormick Place because of the building’s reflective glass windows and bright lights. Fortunately McCormick Place recently installed bird safe film on their windows, and this is making a positive difference. Hurray! An award winning film called “Broken Flight”, documents Chicago’s 2023 mass collision and the bird collision volunteers trying to save them. Here is a short trailer:
- the importance of dark sky: Losing the Dark ( 6 minute video)
- what you can do: Responsible Outdoor lighting at home & Five Principles of Outdoor Lighting
- Visiting a Dark Sky Reserve, Park or Sanctuary: Locations
- Becoming an advocate. Spread the word!
To learn more, please review the Dark Sky International website.