Light pollution builds by increment. A few streetlights here. A floodlight there to illuminate the stairs. If each light were alone it wouldn’t have an outsize effect. But taken all together our lights can create a significant glow at night, even in a place as dark as the Methow. This skyglow affects more than our stargazing ability.  Bright artificial light at night disrupts bird migration patterns and the feeding and mating cycles of insects, bats, fish and salamanders.  In humans, exposure to blue spectrum light at night suppresses melatonin and increases the risk of a number of chronic conditions.

In our lighting practices and choices we can influence how dark our skies are. The Methow Dark Sky Coalition has developed a practical list of ways to take action to preserve dark skies in the Methow. The International Dark Sky Association (IDA) has developed a Dark Sky Friendly Home self-certification program. Whether you choose to go through the certification checklist or not, this program has some key guidelines to remember when choosing your outdoor lighting. IDSA has compiled a comprehensive list of dark sky friendly fixtures.  Much like letting a log smolder in your woodstove can impact your neighbors with smoke, our outdoor lighting choices can also have significant, often unintended effects on both our neighbor and the sky glow of our entire community. Here are a few key principles of responsibly outdoor lighting to remember:

(Top Photo: Todd Carlson; Bottom photo and graphic International Dark Sky Association)