International Dark Sky Week brings light pollution awareness

Article originally published in Fairfax Times 5 April 2024

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to designate the week of April 2-8, 2024 as International Dark Sky Week. Chairman Jeff McKay and the board members issued a proclamation to celebrate the week and to bring awareness for the problems light pollution causes.

International Dark Sky Week is a worldwide night celebration to build awareness about the harmful effects of light pollution and the importance of the global nighttime environment. To learn more visit https://bit.ly/3J1nqB3

Light pollution is growing at twice the rate of the population, doubling every eight to 10 years, and in some places scientists predict in 20 years NO stars will be visible. Fairfax County is one of those places.

Along with blotting out the view of the night sky, light pollution negatively affects many parts of our world, including migratory birds, nocturnal pollinators, sea turtles, fireflies and other nocturnal creatures.

Light pollution also has serious human health consequences and has been linked to cancers: breast and prostate, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart disorders, obesity, diabetes and, of course sleep disorders.

It is time light pollution is raised to the same level of priority as air and water pollution.  It is that dangerous and that deadly.

Local, state, regional and national cooperation is needed to solve this pollution. Fortunately Fairfax County has made light pollution one of the county’s environmental goals for years.

Strong legislation and updated outdoor lighting codes and ordinances are critical to halting and to reversing this problem.

Robust public education campaigns and messaging are needed to raise awareness for everyone about the responsible use of outdoor light at night. The Fairfax County Park Authority Dark Skies page at https://bit.ly/3vysQR0 helps do just that.  

For International Dark Sky Week this year, Fairfax County Public Library branches now have a Dark Skies backpack available for check out. The backpacks contain a light pollution monitoring kit to help measure the growth of light pollution in Fairfax County and star charts. Find more information at https://bit.ly/43F9PZw

A simple step that anyone can do is to take the Home Lighting Inventory developed by DarkSky International and certify your home Dark Sky Friendly. You can find the survey at https://bit.ly/3J2zkuu

Businesses and municipalities can do the same.

The steps are easy. Check to make sure that your lights are useful, are fully shielded, that the light does not trespass (targeted), that they are no brighter than necessary which saves money and prevents glare, that they use the warmest color temperature needed for the use.  Use amber toned lighting or the color of candlelight. Use dimmers and timers.

And of course, simply turn off lights when they’re not needed. All of these steps prevent light trespass.

I don’t have a right to trespass on to your property. Why do my lights?

This year for International Dark Sky Week educate yourself on how to use outdoor light at night responsibly and ask yourself, will we be the last generations to see stars overhead in Fairfax County?

You will still be able to see solar eclipses however. This year’s International Dark Sky Week was chosen to coincide with the upcoming one. Both George Mason Observatory in Fairfax and Observatory Park at Turner Farm in Great Falls are holding partial eclipse viewing events on April 8.  

After the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug 23, 2044. Celebrate International Dark Sky Week and this once in a 20 year opportunity at these renowned Fairfax County observatories.

More information can be found at the following links: https://bit.ly/3VKJqrp and https://bit.ly/4a7Aalz

Eileen Kragie is the founder of Dark Sky Friends, an organization that advocates for responsible outdoor lighting at night.