International Dark Sky Week “Discover The Night” is April 15-22, 2023 and is a reminder to turn off unnecessary exterior lights in the evening and marvel at the infinite grandeur of the night sky.

I’m an advocate of the Dark Sky/Night Sky and hope to bring awareness and educate others about the impact of preserving dark skies and celebrate the benefits of a dark night sky. It was high school student Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Va., who in 2003 became concerned about the loss of beauty of the night sky and kick-started this annual event.

My goal in writing this is to promote greater awareness and education about “light pollution,” sometimes referred to as over-lighting. Many of us know little about the negative impacts of light pollution which generally falls into four categories:

Glare – excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort.

Skyglow – brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas.

Light trespass – light falling where it is not intended or needed.

Clutter – bright, confusing or excessive groupings of light sources.

The International Dark-Sky Association (darksky.org) defines light pollution as “any adverse effect of artificial light, including sky glow, glare, light trespass, light clutter, decreased visibility at night, and energy waste.”

With the City of Prescott and greater Pierce County communities experiencing continual residential and commercial growth, we need to bring this issue to the forefront of community planning and request that property developers, homeowners associations and interested residents address the issue of unnecessary and excessive outdoor lighting in a thoughtful, considerate manner that acknowledges the beauty of the night sky, the need to combat light pollution and avoid wasteful energy consumption.

We can work in partnership with nature and take action to put in place guidelines to protect the night sky from unnecessary and improperly directed artificial light and protect the proper functioning of natural ecosystems. Scientific studies have shown artificial lighting that creates light pollution affects species migration patterns, particularly migratory birds, predator-prey relationships, and the circadian rhythms of many organisms. Our own ability to enjoy the night sky is negatively impacted as well.

There is a great deal to learn and to consider about the Night Sky, maintaining Dark Skies and the need to control unnecessary and excessive outdoor lighting. The International Dark-Sky Association website is a great place to find resources and learn more about these issues which we can then share with others.

Your public or school library may have more resources on this subject (and if they don’t please encourage them to add them to their collections); an internet search of the terms “night sky,” “dark sky” and “light pollution” will direct you to numerous resources.

We can share our love and appreciation of the natural night sky with others and request our neighbors and community leaders assist in helping to protect the night sky.

Here are some ideas on how you can help preserve the night sky:

1. Turn off outdoor lights when not needed.
2. Only light the area that needs light.
3. Utilize fully shielded light fixtures outdoors.
4. Look for the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) seal of approval on light fixtures.
5. Reduce the times of outside light use including decorative lights.
6. Use outdoor lights with motion sensors to reduce the amount of exterior light.

Dark skies are night skies as they are meant to be – with minimal light pollution. We are fortunate to enjoy the beauty of the night sky in many parts of western Wisconsin and I hope we all assist in maintaining this asset for our neighborhoods and environment. Let’s advocate for responsible outdoor lighting to reduce light pollution and reduce unnecessary use of artificial illumination.

Please spread the word by talking to friends, family and neighbors as an advocate of Dark Skies, to raise awareness of the negative effects of light pollution. Consider following exterior lighting guidelines and educate others about the need to stop light pollution with common sense outdoor lighting solutions.

The right kind of lighting makes a great difference for people, wildlife and the environment. We can’t protect our night sky without you. Please join me.

To learn more, visit darksky.org