Holiday Lights, No Stars
First published in The Fairfax Times 29 December 2023
Too sad for words. Instead of stepping outside on a cold winter night, to look up into a sky filled with a billion stars and planets twinkling overhead, we step out into a world awash with artificial light.
Light littering, trespassing, polluting and killing. The pristine night sky visible for eons, blotted out by excessive manmade light.
A sacred time of the year further polluted by massive strings and displays of artificial lights. Stripped of its mystery.
Where 20 or 30 years ago, this was a magical time of year to walk down the street, to see trees lit inside homes and subtle, minimal displays of holiday lights outside, it has now turned into a time where huge over lit displays are erected. More lights added each year, eroding the magic and sacredness of this time of year.
Communities encourage this by holding contests. Retailers encourage this by selling more and more lights. Businesses popping up who will install the lights on homes for you. The result, a degrading environment, harm to the wildlife and light trespass into yards and into bedrooms, deadly human health consequences, and the extinction of the the mystery of of starry nights.
Instead of staring up into a pristine dark night sky, looking for the star of Bethlehem high in the sky, artificial light displays blot out the sky and the stars. Sky glow created, which can be seen hundreds of miles away from the source.
How would the three wise men ever found the stable and manger holding the new born little baby Jesus with all of the light pollution and light trespass today?
Where would Christmas have come from? Maybe it is time to return to the days of yore.
Use light intelligently, smartly, responsibly, kindly and considerately.
Follow DarkSky International’s five lighting principles for responsible outdoor lighting.
Use a modicum of restraint especially with the holiday lights.
The planet and all her creatures thank you!
Eileen Kragie is the founder of Dark Sky Friends, an organization that advocates for responsible outdoor lighting at night.