Have you ever heard of Light Pollution?

When was the last time you stepped outside at night and looked up? 🌌

What did you see?

Have you ever heard of light pollution?

Or light trespass?

Did you know that light pollution is doubling every 8-10 years?

Did you know that in some places, scientists predict the stars will completely vanish from view in just 20 years if we don’t act now?

Did you know this area is one of those places?

Did you know that artificial light trespasses, litters, pollutes, and even kills?

Did you know that billions of migrating birds die each year because of artificial light? 🦅 Have you ever seen birds circling bright lights at night, confused and exhausted? Did you know they often crash into buildings and never make it to their destinations?

Did you know that an insect apocalypse is underway? 🦋 Have you noticed fewer fireflies or fewer bugs on your windshield at night? Did you know that artificial light is a major factor in the decline of insects, including pollinators essential to our food supply?

Did you know that artificial light disrupts fireflies, sea turtles, bats, and countless other species? 🦇 Have you ever wondered why fewer fireflies light up the summer sky or why sea turtle hatchlings struggle to find the ocean?

Did you know that artificial light at night is harming human health? 😴 Have you ever had trouble sleeping after staring at a bright screen? Did you know that artificial light at night is linked to breast and prostate cancer, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and even Alzheimer’s?

Did you know that light trespassing into your bedroom can interfere with your sleep? 🌙 Have you ever struggled to fall asleep because of a neighbor’s light, a business sign, or a streetlight shining through your window? Did you know that excessive artificial light at night disrupts your body’s natural sleep cycle, making it harder to get the rest you need?

Did you know that light pollution is the easiest environmental problem to solve? 🌎 Have you ever thought about how simple it is to turn off a light? Did you know that unlike plastic waste or air pollution, light pollution disappears the moment we stop creating it?

Did you know that we already have the solution? By following the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting at Night, we can fix this problem—but only if every one of us does our part.

The Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting at Night

🌑 USEFUL: All light should have a clear purpose. 💡
Consider how the use of light will impact the area, including wildlife and the environment. Use light only when needed, protecting our shared environments and the balance of nature.

🌑 TARGETED: Light should be directed only where it’s needed. 🎯
Use shielding and careful aiming to avoid light spilling into unintended areas, such as homes, natural spaces, or the night sky. This helps protect our non-human neighbors and reduces their exposure to harmful artificial light.

🌑 LOW LEVEL: Light should be no brighter than necessary. 🌙
Use the lowest light level required for the task. Too much light creates glare, making it harder to see, not easier. Reducing light intensity is a simple way to support the health of our ecosystems.

🌑 CONTROLLED: Light should be used only when it is needed. ⏰
Use timers, dimmers, and motion sensors to ensure light is available only when necessary. This will help minimize waste and protect wildlife that relies on darkness for their natural behaviors.

🌑 WARM COLORED: Use warmer color lights where possible. 🌕
Limit the amount of short-wavelength (blue-violet) light to reduce environmental and health impacts. Warmer-colored lights are less disruptive to our ecosystems, allowing us to coexist peacefully with nocturnal creatures.

Take Action Now

Have you ever assessed your own home, business, or building’s lighting? 🏠 Have you checked if your lights are on when they don’t need to be? Are they unshielded? Too bright? Too white? Do they use timers, dimmers, or motion sensors?

Did you know that even landscape and solar lights are harming the nocturnal environment? 🌿 Have you ever considered how those small lights impact fireflies, pollinators, and plants and trees that depend on the dark to regulate their cycles? They need sleep too.

Did you know that every organism needs the dark to survive? 🦉Fireflies rely on darkness to find mates through their unique bioluminescence. Sea turtles need the dark to instinctively head toward the ocean after hatching, and bright lights can lead them in the wrong direction, often toward danger. Bats use the cover of night to hunt insects and navigate, and they rely on dark skies to maintain their natural behaviors. Even plants and trees depend on the dark—many species, like oak trees, rely on darkness to regulate their growth cycles, and pollinators like moths and bats need the dark to thrive.

Ocean organisms also need darkness to survive. Coral reefs rely on the night cycle to protect delicate ecosystems and reproduce. Certain fish species, like the deep-sea anglerfish, rely on the darkness of the ocean’s depths to hunt and avoid predators. Without darkness, these creatures can lose their natural behaviors, threatening marine ecosystems. 🌊

Without dark, these vital organisms face disruption, and the entire ecosystem suffers. 🌱

Did you know that every light impacts the night? 🌌 Every light alters the night. Light pollution and light trespass started with us, and it stops with us.

Are you ready to help take it back and protect our shared environments, non-human neighbors, the delicate balance of nature, and your own health?