Less than 100 years ago, people, wherever they lived, could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions across the globe never experience seeing the Milky Way and stars, especially if they live in towns or cities.
DarkSky Vermont formed to protect the state’s night sky from light pollution. It’s a fairly new organization, a chapter of DarkSky International, with the mission “to preserve and protect Vermont’s night-time environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.”
A dark sky doesn’t necessarily mean a dark ground. Rather, it means selecting lighting that directs light where it is needed, creating a balance between safety and starlight.
The organization’s three objectives are to:
1: Change public policy and regulation to require installation of DarkSky-Approved outdoor lighting in all existing and new Vermont government and civic infrastructure.
2: Encourage citizens and businesses to install lighting recommended by DarkSky Vermont and DarkSky International (darkskyvt.org/smart-outdoor-lighting). These recommendations help homeowners and corporations select the best lighting for each specific need and offer tips on using sensors and automatic timers to cut down on excessive lighting.
3: Establish and maintain permanent certified DarkSky places in Vermont, such as state parks and even entire towns. According to the Dark Sky International website, there are 41 certified towns in the U.S., including Flagstaff, Arizona, which was given the country’s first designation in 2001. In Maine, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, while in Quebec, Parc du Mont-Bellevue, a park in the heart of Sherbrooke, is an Urban Dark Sky Place.
George Springston, a member of DarkSky Vermont, told The Bridge that at night, from his rural home in Plainfield, he can see the glow cast by Montpelier, Barre, and even Montreal.
“The bigger the city, the farther the light pollution reaches,” he said. “The way you know you have light pollution is what you don’t see. If you go out on a clear night with no moon you should be able to see the Milky Way and a sky full of stars.”
Although many of us barely register it, light pollution affects wildlife, ecosystems, human health, energy use, climate change, and even crime and safety, according to Johan Eklöf in his book “The Darkness Manifesto: How Light Pollution Threatens the Ancient Rhythms of Life.”
Eklöf also notes that night lights disrupt the circadian rhythm of insects, birds, and mammals (including humans). While human eyes are designed for daytime, many animal species are adapted to being active at night. It’s estimated that two-thirds of bird species migrate at nighttime, and light pollution blocks the stars they use to navigate, according to Eklöf.
The monarch, a beloved butterfly already threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and pesticide use, is also hurt by artificial lights, Eklöf writes.
Monarchs migrate thousands of miles south in the fall and north in the spring, relying on environmental cues to navigate, including the position of the sun, and their internal circadian clocks. The University of Cincinnati researchers published a study in 2022 showing that exposure to artificial light at night can severely disrupt the butterflies’ delicate orientation system.
The glow of streetlights, signs, and even our own back porch lights adds yet another challenge to their perilous journey. “The dark night sky is just so full of wonders,” Springston said, “from the Moon cycling through its phases from night to night, to the steady light of the brighter planets like Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, to the thousands of stars and the bright band of the Milky Way that arcs across the sky. You sit out under a dark sky and sometimes it seems like you could just fall up into it. That’s what all of our ancestors knew. Why shouldn’t we get to see it as well?”
Turning Down the Lights: What You Can Do
The most efficient light is the light not used. Go to Efficiency Vermont or DarkSky Vermont’s website (darkskyvt.org) to learn about lighting options, automatic sensors, and adjustable timers.
Check the outdoor lighting around your home. Is it really necessary? If not, turn it off. If it is needed for safety, make sure it’s fully shielded downward.
International Dark Sky Week in April
This spring, DarkSky Vermont will give two talks during International Dark Sky Week: One called “Defending the Dark” at the Plainfield Opera House, April 14 at 6 p.m,, and another at North Branch Nature Center on April 15 at 7 p.m. Also, the Plainfield Conservation Commission will screen a movie about dark skies at the Plainfield Opera House.
