Embracing the Dark
- victoria masters
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 17
By Erin Aliperti
In winter 2022, the power went out on my block in Mellenville for nearly 24 hours. The sheer darkness of that night was striking. No street lights. No porch lights. No indoor lights. It was unnerving at first. I’m not accustomed to total darkness. But as the night sky's brilliance drew my gaze upward, I relaxed into it and embraced the dark. As my vision adjusted, the activity of my nocturnal neighbors quietly foraging in my yard became visible. My body eased, and I took a deep breath in a way I didn’t know I needed.
Light pollution isn’t a new concept to me, but it became a priority after reading The Darkness Manifesto by Johan Eklöf in 2023. He helped me understand the devastating effects that light pollution has on the natural world (including humans), disproportionately impacting wildlife, insects, plants, and trees, altering their physiology and behavior, ability to navigate, eat, mate, and overall health and survivability. It inspired me to take light pollution as seriously as any other pollution and consider its role in creating another barrier that fragments wildlife habitats comparable to fences, roads, and other human developments. I was eager to implement changes in how I consume artificial light and started to look around my house and the land I tend. Then, I began shifting some behaviors.
Drawing inspiration from the work of Eklöf’s book and Dark Sky International, I have taken several steps to reduce light pollution and create a more wildlife-friendly environment around my home. I asked NYSEG to install partial covers on the street lamp outside my house, ensuring the light is directed downward to the street rather than spilling into my yard, which they did. I’ve also switched to a deep orange-red wildlife-friendly porch light, which I only turn on when necessary, such as when someone arrives or leaves at night. Inside my home, I keep shades and curtains closed after dark to contain indoor lighting, and I make a habit of turning off any lights that aren’t in use. Additionally, I plant native trees and shrubs to help block excess artificial light naturally. Outside my home, I limit nighttime driving to prevent my car’s LED headlights from disrupting and disorienting nocturnal wildlife and pollinators. By making these small but meaningful changes, I am doing my part to preserve the beauty of the night and protect the creatures that depend on its darkness for survival.
Beyond making the land I tend darker, I’ve also made efforts to invite more nocturnal neighbors, such as bats, moths, fireflies, and other species like skunks and possums, to my yard. I do this by planting a variety of native flowers, fruiting shrubs and trees, installing a bat house, minimally mowing, leaving the leaves, never using pesticides/herbicides, leaving dead and dying trees to decay naturally, and cohabitating peacefully with burrowing animals and the dwellings they create that many animals utilize. You can often find me standing on my porch at dusk, watching and listening as the nightscape emerges.
While I have succeeded in making my home and the land I tend darker, some of the brightest artificial lights do not come from me or my neighbors but from businesses and town infrastructure. With a bit of encouragement, Claverack can take proactive steps to help reduce light pollution while conserving energy. This can include reducing unnecessary street lighting through optimized schedules and fixture reduction, specifically by implementing PE3 Action: Outdoor Lighting Reduction, pursuing DarkSky certification, and encouraging/requiring businesses to shield outdoor lights, use lower wattage LEDs, and switch to warmer colors.
The good news is that light pollution is reversible, unlike most other damage humans cause. With some thoughtfulness, effort, and reframing of the need for artificial light, we can work together to bring back the natural darkness that is a vital part of a healthy ecosystem. Not only do I encourage you to think about your artificial light consumption and how you can help reduce light pollution with the simple flick of a switch, but also consider how you can embrace darkness. Sit with it. Reframe it from a scary thing to a beautiful, essential natural occurrence to enjoy and protect.
Resources:
Comments