From my thirteenth-floor apartment window, I see where the sky meets cement from New Jersey to City Hall. At night I’m blinded by bright lights, but not the ancient lights humans have painted or written songs about. It’s the missing piece to our city’s puzzle, and the very thing that advanced civilization hundreds of years ago. Our once gleaming and guiding stars in the dark night skies have become hidden.
The industrialization that’s revolutionized the world has ultimately hurt the planet we live on, but there is hope.
Although the state of stars in the sky is not at the forefront of every Philadelphian’s mind, there are people throughout the United States who are dedicated to decreasing light pollution and bringing back stars. The Dark Skies Movement created by DarkSky International is an initiative focused on returning stars to our cities and towns by informing the public just how harmful light pollution is.
Light pollution, or the reflective light from businesses and homes, is a silent killer we pass on the street hundreds of times a day. Not only is it killing various species of wildlife from sea turtles to birds, but it’s also damaging our own health.
Being exposed to artificial light 24/7 can result in many different health disorders such as sleeping disorders, depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer, as reported by DarkSky International.
So, how can we have a city with no lights? The answer is simple. The Dark Skies Movement does not want to take away lights: they just want to tilt them downwards. Citizens in participating cities will be able to walk around at night without having to sacrifice a view of the universe.
There are many benefits to facing our lights down. According to DarkSky International, decreasing light pollution reduces energy consumption, saving more money for the needs of Philadelphia. It would also reduce Co2 emissions going into our atmosphere. With less Co2 emissions, we can expect improved air quality, fewer public health risks and a healthier ecosystem.
Light pollution isn’t just damaging to our skies: it’s hurting local wildlife, too. Billions of birds a year lose their lives to artificial light, according to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Artificial brightness also interrupts birds’ and insects’ migration patterns. Other animals such as sea turtles on the coast are also affected by city lights. Sea turtles rely on the moon to navigate towards the ocean after hatching, but the lights trick them into going the wrong direction. Sadly, many different animals’ sleep cycles are interrupted by lights, also causing disruption to migration and food chains.
Animals and our environment do not have the same capabilities as humans to protect themselves against industrialization. Our society that wields resources through knowledge has a duty to create a sustainable co-existence for the creatures and land that also call earth their home.
Our ecosystem is called a system because there are many different necessary steps that allow our world to nourish, flow and grow together. If one step in the system is broken, it creates a ripple effect impacting not only animals and the land but also us.
Humans have relied on stars for millions of years. They created our calendars, influenced travel navigations and pushed humans to start thinking beyond ourselves. Stars serve as a reminder that there is more outside of our bubble on earth. They beg us to think about who we are to ourselves, to others and to the world. It serves as a compass for land, but also our minds. Not to mention the stars have the kind of beauty human beings have referenced in songs, books, movies and metaphors for eons.
We should not deny ourselves the gift and privilege of walking outside and being able to see this ethereal view every night. Losing our view of stars is no different than losing the sight of our sunsets or sunrises. Although the sky feels beyond our reach, it is truly the actions we take on the ground that have the power to destroy or protect our sky and atmosphere.
There are many places around the world ahead of the curve. Over 200 dedicated DarkSky International parks, sanctuaries, reservoirs, lodgings and communities exist within 22 countries, covering over 160,798+ square kilometers of protected land and skies. In 2001, Flagstaff, Arizona, got the ball rolling when it became a Dark Skies city and inspired other places around the world to start taking responsibility for protecting our night skies.
That Milky Way sky most Americans associate with the West is a lot closer than you think since Pennsylvania became involved in the Dark Skies Movement. Cherry Hill, the darkest place in Pennsylvania, since 2000 has a designated DarkSky International Park only four and a half hours away from Philadelphia. Pittsburgh became the first city in our state to start complying with Dark Sky solutions to reduce light pollution.
As a citizen of Philadelphia, I know nothing rattles our bones more than comparing ourselves to Pittsburgh, but in the race against saving our skies, Philadelphia is lagging.
Advocates of the Dark Sky Movement in Philadelphia include associate professor Barry Vacker in the media studies and production department in Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University. Vacker’s Media Analysis and Tech and Culture class teaches students about the harm light pollution and technology can have on our environment. He is currently awaiting the premier of his short art film “Dark Skies Hot Planet Cool Gaze.”
The first time Vacker was truly “star struck” was during a rafting trip down the Rio Grande. He camped out between the canyons of the river, where light could barely pass. In the complete darkness, he saw an unearthly light.
“We came from the river and discovered the universe,” Vacker said.
Witnessing the beauty of an unpolluted starry sky changed his perspective of the universe and our place within it. He knew this was a sight that was meant to be preserved and protected.
Philadelphia is full of capable, dedicated pioneers who never stray away from a challenge. I have full faith we will resurrect our starry night skies from not so long ago. We can’t expect change overnight; eliminating light pollution will be a process, but once the stars are back, you won’t be able to fathom how we ever let them go. It is a sight that gives people a true understanding of the phrase “blown away.” Stars allow us to dive deep into who we are and how to navigate our earth, so it’s only right we use our significant knowledge to protect and preserve it.
Humans are meant to live harmoniously with nature, and that goes for our skies too. Through action and education, we can help restore our earth from the ground to our view of the stars. Programs and people such as DarkSky International and Professor Vacker are proof people are taking responsibility through trial and error and advocating for change.
I’m hoping in time, the absence of stars is a problem of the past. Every town or city deserves to look out our windows and experience the universe every single night.
