Save the Night | Be the Solution, Stop Light Pollution
Proposed New Outdoor Lighting Bylaw
Please support it!
Our night skies are 25% brighter today than they were just ten years ago, making it harder to see the stars at night in many places on the island; complaints about light trespass and glare from neighboring properties are increasing; the evidence of harm from artificial light at night to human health, pollinating insects, birds, and other wildlife is mounting; and the energy used to power excessive and unnecessary outdoor lighting increases the likelihood that a costly, third cable from the mainland will be needed.
It’s time to take preserving our night skies as seriously as other conservation and preservation efforts, to do more to protect an important part of our heritage – the dark skies that made Maria Mitchell’s discovery of a comet possible, that residents and visitors to the island have cherished for hundreds of years, and that make Nantucket one of the rare remaining places in the United States where the Milky Way can still be seen.
We need a stronger outdoor lighting bylaw that’s consistent with current standards and best practices and that has stronger provisions for enforcement to ensure that it's enforced better than the one we have now. The new bylaw proposed by Nantucket Lights founder and president Gail Walker as a 2023 ATM Citizen Warrant ("Bylaw Amendment - Outdoor Lighting") -- the product of extensive discussions with outdoor lighting experts and the culmination of years of research -- fits the bill.
We hope you'll support it!
Do you want to help preserve Nantucket's dark skies?
The more supporters we have, the more influential we can be. Join our email list to show your support for our mission and to get updates, calls to action, and other important information delivered directly to your inbox.