OMSI Pub Night: Why Bringing Back the Stars is Not Just for the Birds
For eons, the night was lit only by the moon and stars, and life on this planet evolved under regular cycles of bright days and dark nights. All that has changed in the last 130 years, and the night we know now is liberally colonized with artificial light. Most of us live in cities that are ablaze—from billboards to parking lots to streetlights—even while we sleep. Today, 80% of North Americans live in places from which they cannot see our own home galaxy because of the fog of light pollution. The overabundance of light at night has dire ecological consequences for plants, birds, fish and other wildlife, as well as for human health and culture.
In this talk, Portland Audubon’s Mary Coolidge will delve into the importance of darkness for nocturnal species as well as for the billions of migrating birds which use starry night skies to navigate. On this journey, we will explore the night’s wondrous mysteries and ask the question: Can we restore dark skies while simultaneously crafting vibrant, beautiful, and safe nighttime cityscapes?
