Help to Protect the Dark Sky!

When was the last time you saw a clear, black night sky shimmering with stars? If you are one of the 99% of Americans living under a light-polluted sky, the chances are it’s been a while. Our dark sky is a natural resource that is quietly vanishing before our very eyes and under our noses.

Humanity’s connection to the night sky goes back to the very dawn of our species, when the stars were the compass by which we navigated, the calendar by which we planted our crops and ordered our festivals, and the storybook we used to record our oldest tales and legends. Even in our modern-day society, human health outcomes can be scientifically linked to the natural cycle of bright day and dark night. And in an era when so many people are so deeply divided, the awe of the cosmos remains capable of uniting us.

But it’s an experience being denied to increasing numbers of people. 75% of Massachusetts residents cannot see the Milky Way from their homes. Skyglow from human-caused light pollution is increasing at roughly 10% per year worldwide.

The dark, starry sky is also integral to the natural health of the environment around us, with both plant and animal life dependent on a clear cycle of dark and light each day to govern their behaviors. For instance, millions of birds die each year as a result of collisions with brightly lit buildings at night.

As our dark sky continues to vanish, the effects will be even more increasingly felt culturally, biologically, and environmentally. But it’s a loss that can be reversed.

Representatives Sean Garballey and Simon Cataldo have introduced H.3494, and Senator Cynthia Stone Creem has introduced S.2243, to improve outdoor lighting, conserve energy, and increase dark sky visibility. This legislation would promote energy efficient lighting practices in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, allowing the state to conserve energy, undermine the harmful effects of light pollution on wildlife and human health, save money, and preserve our inspirational view of the night sky. Please co-sponsor H.3494 or S.2243.

Massachusetts is the only state in the Northeast without existing legislation regulating light pollution. It’s time for that to change. Help us take back our night sky!