Keep it Dark in the Park
Dark skies aren’t just beautiful; natural darkness at night is both environmentally and sociologically important.
Artificial light can come from street and traffic lights, parking lots, outdoor signs, and even homes with a spotlight on a driveway, chicken coop, or barn—and can be detrimental to birds, mammals, insects, and all kinds of wildlife and humans.
Why should you care?
Unnatural nighttime lighting can have serious negative impacts to your health. Research suggests that artificial nighttime lighting can increase obesity, the rate of certain types of cancers, and mental health disorders.
In addition to human health, nighttime lighting disrupts migratory patterns for birds and insects like the Monarch butterfly. Many insects migrate and feed at night, providing ecological services such as pollination and mitigating negative impacts from other insects.
Wild animals, like frogs and wolves, are also nocturnal, and artificial light can disrupt natural nighttime behaviors in these animals. Predators that rely on light for hunting can take advantage of the additional light at night, opening their prey up to unnatural predation rates.
Be a Voice for Dark Skies
Sign our Petition
If you sign the Adirondack Council’s petition, you will get notified when the bill starts to make progress in the legislature. You can also opt out of email updates and still send in the action alert.
Urge your municipality to work on a dark skies law
Action is taking place at the local level in the Adirondacks. For example, the village board of Lake Placid formed a committee to work on a dark skies law. Schroon Lake and Raquette Lake are also working on local action. So, depending on where you live, this could be a great way to show support for dark skies and help lower the municipal electric bills.
Take action at home
Start to live by the idea that having bright lights on all night is not good for you, your neighbors, or wildlife. If you have spotlights at home, try to switch them over to motion sensors. You can also try to shield your lights, as the law would require, but do it now on your own terms. Share your passion for dark skies—and the action you’ve taken—with your neighbors, family, and friends about the importance of dark skies.