Lights Out Bend offers fall migration plea
Fall migration is just around the corner, and the group Lights Out Bend asks you to turn off any unnecessary lights.
Central Oregonians can help make this migration a more successful one for hundreds of songbirds and wildlife by turning off unnecessary lights.
Most songbirds and insects and some wildlife migrate at night using moonlight to navigate. Artificial lights attract birds into our city where they become confused and disoriented often resulting in window strikes leading to injury and death. More than 80% of collisions may be prevented by the simple act of turning lights off and letting the Milky Way shine.
All living things–humans & wildlife–require darkness. Without darkness, health is affected. Chronic illnesses may include diabetes, breast cancer, depression, obesity. Wildlife need darkness for their safety, timely migration, reproduction, raising young, finding food.
Central Oregon has joined many other progressive cities with dark sky programs. LIGHTS OUT BEND (https://www.lightsoutbend.com) asks residents and business owners to turn lights off from dusk to dawn throughout the year and especially during spring and fall migration: April 1 – July 1 and August 1 – November 1.
Our community will offer protection to more than 150 species of birds as they migrate through our Central Oregon night sky by simply turning lights off. At 40% output of wasted energy spilling upward into the night sky, minimizing wasted energy is another compelling reason to evaluate your own light pollution.
Support and thank these businesses who partner with Lights Out Bend –Deschutes Public Library, St Charles Hospital-Bend, Ruffwear, Walgreens on 3rd & Franklin, University of Oregon’s Pine Mountain Observatory, Worthy Garden Club, The Worthy Hopservatory, High Desert Museum, International Dark-Sky Association, Hawthorn Healing Arts Center.
Central Oregon can be beautiful with a conscientious reduction in interior and exterior waste light while saving song birds, wildlife and the dark sky. Brighter lights are not safer. For a brighter and safer future with starry night skies, songbirds and wildlife, please turn off the lights.
