Outdoor lighting is beginning to have an effect on the animals that count on the darkness of night for survival.

Last August, I wrote an article that ran in our local newspaper on light pollution. In short, light pollution is the cumulative effect of all outdoor lighting in any given space that reduces darkness of night. This includes building lights, vehicle headlights, stadium lights, streetlights and lighting fixtures at our homes.

The effect from light pollution has disrupted migration patters in birds (not to mention killing an estimated 1 billion of the little fellas annually), confused newborn sea turtles into walking inland rather than seaward and hastened the time nocturnal creatures go searching for dinner.

Since that article ran, I’ve remained interested in what kind of collective damage we as a species are doing to nature and ourselves. I’ve looked into the night sky with my children, knew there was more to see and wondered if areas are set aside to enjoy the star-filled sky.

Turns out there are.

The Arizona-based International Dark-Sky Association has recently designated a new stretch of land in Michigan as a Dark Sky Park—one of only six in the United States and 10 in the entire world.

The other domestic parks are Utah’s Natural Bridges Monument, Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania, Geauga Park District’s Observatory Park in Ohio, Clayton Lake State Park in New Mexico, and Goldendale Observatory Park in Washington (road trip!).

The plight of too much light has even spawned a documentary. In “The City Dark,” filmmaker and amateur astronomer Ian Cheney mixes science with philosophy and explores the question, “Do we need the stars?” It’s safe to say that pretty much all of us are a built-in audience for this 84-minute feature film, which debuted at this year’s South By Southwest.

You can see the trailer for “The City Dark” here.

OK, so there’s concern for the environment, but our lifestyles need light. And just because a film explores the dangers of light pollution, how much are we to question and change the way we live?

Lighting manufacturers have taken an active role in designing Dark Sky-compliant fixtures that eliminate wasted light. Companies like Kichler, Hinkley Lighting and aptly named The Great Outdoors have all contributed lights that have earned the International Dark-Sky Association’s seal of approval. Many of these lights are even ENERGY STAR rated.

Living in the 21^st century, it’s impractical to ask (or be asked) to eliminate all lighting at night. But what if there was a way to cut back a little on the amount of lighting we use at night? Eliminating wasted light saves money, energy and resources, and reduces air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions caused by energy productions.

Plus, it could help the animals that rely on the night’s cloak of darkness survive.

So, if you had to cut back on night lighting, would you? Could you?

Until next time, Happy Home Improving!

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