Dim all the lights. DarkSky International has designated April 21 to 28 as Dark Sky Week, a global celebration of the night and a time to raise awareness about the effects of light pollution.
In 2024, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore and the Southampton Town Council strengthened the town’s Dark Skies law and signed a proclamation declaring April as Dark Skies Month from 2024 onward. The Dark Skies Committee extends special thanks to its liaison, Council member Michael Iasilli, for his ongoing dedication to preserving our natural nightscape.
While artificial lighting certainly has its benefits, excessive and poorly designed outdoor lighting can reduce our view of the stars, disturb neighbors, disrupt ecosystems and waste energy. Dark Skies Month is a great opportunity for communities to take simple, meaningful steps to protect the nighttime environment. Shielding outdoor lights, using lower-intensity bulbs or dimmers, and turning off unnecessary lighting can make a big difference.
Why not take the Dark Skies pledge?
“I pledge to protect the night by following the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting (visit idsw.darksky.org/pledge), using lights only when and where I need them, and learning more about the effects of artificial light on wildlife, habitats and my community.”
Reducing light pollution is one of the easiest environmental actions we can take. Please follow local lighting codes by turning off outdoor lights by 10 p.m. — the fireflies and night pollinators will be grateful.
Joy Flynn
Member
Town of Southampton Dark Skies Advisory Committee
No SurpriseThe Southampton Press recently reported that employee files were left unsecured at the Village Department of Public Works barn, a serious lapse that village employees say included private and HIPAA-protected health information and resident files [“Southampton Village Union Alleges Mishandling...
Stop the TormentLast week’s article outlining the delays associated with the Shinnecock Nation gas station is disturbing [“Shinnecock Say Town Reviving Abandoned Deal to Derail Tribal Land Purchase,” 27east.com, April 6]. How much more can we do to these people? This is...
Losing ConnectionAs a public librarian for more than 45 years, I have struggled with wringing sufficient funds from my municipality, along with a pitiful pro-rated stipend from my province, to keep my small-town library operational. Not once throughout my career did...
Do SomethingSomething must come to fruition in Southampton Town Hall. At numerous meetings over months and months, and years, the same stuff is discussed over and over, but there is never a conclusion. Something should be finalized. The first time I...
Road WoesI’m Route 27 east-west from the end of Southampton Village all the way to Montauk. I was built about 100 years ago. I used to run through broad stretches of verdant farm fields all the way to Wainscott and eastward...
Turned His BackThe March 20 Southampton Press front-page story, “Riverside Sewer Project Is Among Local Work Impacted by Federal Cuts,” is instructive. Reporter Michael Wright informs readers that it was “mostly Republican-led spending cuts.” The vote to pass the 2025 Continuing Appropriations...
Artificial AffiliationsOn Saturday, I attended a “Hands Off” rally in Florida. I later watched the coverage on TV of the other rallies around the United States. Hundreds of thousands of Americans came together to peacefully protest many of the policies, intrusions...
Disparagers of TruthPolitically eroticized, Tesla-aroused, ludicrously pompous and hubris-infected mini-MAGA Ed Surgan has attempted to belittle Carlos Sandoval and his flying monkeys and boiling frogs impression of life under Trumpian rule [“Who’s the Zombie?” Letters, April 3]. Sandoval is not alone in...
