Is a DarkSky in the McKenzie's future?

On Tuesday, December 21st, Sisters, Oregon, was certified as an International DarkSky Community, making it the second Oregon community (after Antelope) to earn the distinction. Sisters is now the sixth International DarkSky Place in the state, in addition to the Oregon Outback to the east and the Oregon Caves National Monument.

Founded in 2001, the International Dark Sky Places Program is a non-regulatory and voluntary program that encourages communities, parks, and protected areas worldwide to preserve and protect dark sites by adopting effective lighting policies, environmentally responsible outdoor lighting, and public education. The group says that artificial light can disrupt ecosystems, impact human health, waste money and energy, contribute to climate change, and block people’s views and connections to the universe when used indiscriminately.

Earlier this week, meetings in Blue River and Leaburg focused on the impacts of artificial lighting—how the adoption of bright white lights impacts fish, insects, and humans.

Bill Kowalik, chair of DarkSky Oregon, and his wife, Cindie, were on hand to provide examples of how and why people can tone down light pollution.

Bill provided insights on lighting retrofitting costs, citing a successful project in Central Oregon where $1,000 worth of free yellow light bulbs were distributed to area residents. The City of Sisters’ successful DarkSky initiative was also highlighted. This initiative was promoted by high school astronomy students who successfully advocated for changes in their area’s building codes that eventually led to the community’s designation.

At the core of his talk were light's subtle impacts on Earthlings. All lifeforms operate on a circadian cycle that has measurable effects on body temperature, hormones, appetites, and sleep patterns. While technology has increased the efficiency of light-producing bulbs by decreasing power demands, there have also been unfortunate side effects associated with a color shift away from the sun’s yellow tones to the unnatural blue end of the spectrum.

“Astro Tourism” is another potential benefit. Bill referenced trips led by Wanderlust Tours of Bend. They offer nighttime canoe trips on Hosmer Lake that might give local guides a model for similar tour opportunities on Clear Lake.

In Blue River, an entomologist noted that fish in the MKkenzie River dine on insects like in many Oregon rivers. He suggested that if we put up bad lighting, especially along the river’s edge, we’ll be doing in the insects, reducing food for fish and their numbers.

Other people wanted to know about the costs of retrofitting the bulbs or fixtures they currently have and ways of improving the outdoor lighting at the school and the downtown areas.

The Leaburg meeting concluded with discussions about the need for certified lighting designers and establishing a list of approved contractors for DarkSky-compliant lighting installations.

For more information on the group, visit darksky.org